Georgia Peach
by LadyFitch
Summary: "Now it was like she had broken through something that was holding the real her back and she was shaking free." Beth escapes her captor and finds Daryl just as he is being loaded into the train car at Terminus. What happens when Beth breaks lose from the quiet good girl mold and steps up to become her own woman? Not all peaches bruise easy. Bethyl heavy
1. Chapter 1

It was dark and there was a smooth hump of metal jammed into her back but Beth's mind went into overdrive. She quickly sorted through all the things she had been taught about what to do if your kidnapped before the change. Kick out the tail light, came to mind first. She wedged herself back and swung the booted heel of her good ankle hard in that direction. She heard a crack as it connected, drawing her foot back she slammed it in the same spot a few more times until she heard a final crunch and light streamed through.

Newer cars have emergency pulls in the trunk that will pop it open, was her next thought. Using the dim visibility the hole provided she searched frantically for a handle but came up short. Taking deep breaths she pulled the next thing from her mental file. Tire Iron. She felt around for the edge of the rough carpet, when she found it she peeled it back as far as her position would allow, she stuck her hand under blindly sweeping around the compartment holding the spare tire. Her knuckle connected hard with cold metal, she grabbed it. Pulling it free she turned it over in her hand, thankful for the first time to be in an older vehicle, it was heavy and long.

Watch for road signs, mile markers, land marks, and anything else to help you figure out where you are being taken. Beth scooted so she could she through the hole she had created. She did not recognize the area but she began making mental notes of places she could run back to for cover if need be. She noticed a large piece of plywood standing up to form what looked like a sign, but she could only see the back and it was blank.

They took a left turn a few hundred feet past and then came to a halt. Beth steadied herself, tightening her grip on the tire iron. She listened as the drivers door popped open and the heavy sound of boots stepping against the asphalt. She watched as dirty jeans filled her view where the tail light had been and she propped herself onto her elbow ready to spring upward. The key slid into the lock on the trunk, and the release clicked. He pulled the trunk up leaning down as he did, Beth sprang up catching his left eye socket hard with the iron. He yelled and she heard an audible crack. He fell backwards squirming as he clutched his face, she did not hesitate, jumping from the trunk she stood over him and brought the iron down furiously into his nose. Blood gushed freely and his breaths turned to gurgles. Beth raised her weapon above her head one last time bringing it down into the same spot with a battle cry. This time brain matter swelled up through the long crack snaking up his forehead.

Beth stumbled backwards taking in the sight of the man she had just killed, she felt a slow icy cold run down her spine. Hearing the familiar sound of walkers shuffling towards them she quickly felt his pockets and found the keys. Yanking the door open she slid into the driver's seat and turned over the engine. She dropped the tire iron next to her in the passenger's seat, the cloth fabric quickly absorbing the blood dripping from it.

XXX

Beth raced back down the black top checking her rear view mirror as she passed the plywood sign, she made out one word, Terminus. She followed the road for a mile or two before she came to a cross-road turning left. Following the little two lane street as far as she could before taking a right. A few more miles and one more left hand turn she felt she made it far enough from where they had stopped that she could pull over and lose herself into the woods.

She pulled the car as far as she could from the road and parked. She turned to check the back seat and saw the knife Daryl gave her sitting on there. Grabbing it and the tire iron, she climbed out of the car and made her way to the tree line. Taking a deep breath she looked back towards the car and down the road, she took a few steps forwards and then took off into a sprint. Her mind was a whirl of emotions the heaving in her chest the only thing keeping them from taking over. She dogged the trees as they loomed up in front of her, concentrating on every step willing her mind to calm. Daryl's face flashed before her eyes and she stopped in her tracks. Taking a deep breaths she ran through the things he'd taught her over the past month.

She needed to find a place to hunker down for the night. She looked up nothing but pine trees around, no good for climbing. She picked up walking making steady pace towards a break in the trees she spotted in the distance. Hanging just inside the tree line she spotted the trailer sitting at the bottom of the hill. She didn't see any walkers around, she inched down the hill. Sweeping her eyes across the field continuously as she approached the metal box, she stood on the tips of her toes and peered through the window quickly. She didn't see anyone or anything inside. Beth walked around to the door and jiggled the knob, it was unlocked. Pulling it open she stepped back throwing a few rasps against the door just loud enough to draw any walkers that may be inside. Nothing came forward so she stepped in knife at the ready. There was nothing in the space except for worn out stained mattress and a chair. The door to the bathroom hung open giving Beth a clear view inside, it was empty. She did a quick walk around the small space for her peace of mind, then locked the door and wedged the chair underneath it.

XXX

Beth woke up the next morning sprawled on the dirty mattress still gripping her knife and the tire iron in her hands. She sat up putting the weapons on the floor next to her and rubbed her eyes. She had passed out quickly bone weary from the adrenaline of the day before and slept until what looked to be dawn. Faint dusty lines of light streamed in from the window over the door.

She stood up stretching and tested her ankle. She winced a little but it was better, she could manage. Reaching down she threaded the sheath of her knife onto her belt then settled the knife its self in leaving the snap at the hilt undone. She picked up the tire iron grimacing at the dried flaking blood that clung to the end. Stepping forward Beth drug the chair from the door and turned the lock. She pushed it opening quietly staring out into her surroundings. The field was still empty.

She tread quietly down the steps, her stomach clenched from hunger. She pushed the door shut behind her and turned to head into the tree line. There were only a few things she could catch with just her knife. Settling down at the base of a tree she watched and waited, praying the one lesson Daryl had given her on knife throwing would snag the bushy tail of a squirrel. A few hours passed until finally a small squirrel scampered down the tree in front of her, taking a deep breath she tossed the knife then squeezed her eyes shut with hope. Hearing a crack she looked up, pinned a to the thick trunk and squirming uncontrollably was the squirrel. Beth cheered quietly to herself then picked up the tire iron and hit it across the head.

She made her way back to the trailer and set down on the concrete steps as she dressed the animal. She built a small fire next to her only big enough to cook the meat and roasted it over the flame. As soon as it was finished cooking she stamped out the embers and strode back inside. Beth curled up Indian style on the floor and picked the body clean while she stared at the blank white wall.

Making her way back to the mattress she curled into a ball and slid her eyes closed, willing herself to sleep. As she drifted off Daryl's face floated around her consciousness. He was probably the only thing she had left in this world, and he was out there somewhere looking for her.

XXX

Shivers pulled her out of her sleep, it was still dark in the little trailer but she suspected the sun wasn't long to rise. stretching she sat up on the mattress. Beth did a few push-ups and some sit-ups to get the warm blood moving through her body. Now she had her knife out carving her name into the wooden floor. She'd decided she was going to go out looking for him too, so if he stumbled on to this place like she had, he would know she was alive.

Beth set out through the woods walking at an even pace in the direction she thought the funeral home sat. She knew he wouldn't have stayed there but she thought she might run across him tracking down a small animal for himself. It was the other side of noon as she realized the path she was taking began to head slightly uphill. She reached the edge of the trees and saw the train tracks stretching out before her. Stepping up on to them she looked down either direction and the path was clear. Up ahead she noticed the familiar sight of the plywood sign. She jogged towards it and when she reached the other side her mouth fell open.

Scrawled in rotting blood read 'Glen, Go to terminus. Maggie'. Beth blinked, she could not believe what she was reading. Her sister was alive, and looking for...Glen. Her heart sank, on some level she understood, Maggie's deep love for Glen was clear and she could imagine her sister was distraught if they had been separated. She couldn't silence the nagging feeling that Maggie could have managed four more letters to place her name next to his.

She took a few steps back, hating the joy of her sister being alive had been stolen away by her on emotions. Beth stepped forward again and studied the map. She could follow it and end up finding Maggie along the way but she did not know if that's what she wanted. Using her finger she traced the path from where she was up towards the apex labeled Terminus. He brows knitted together as the thought flitted across her mind that this might have been where the car was taking her, if Daryl had noticed a connection he was probably headed there too.

XXX

Beth set off, careful to stay inside the trees that lined the tracks, weary of being seen. It was ten or so miles from where she had started to where she was to end up. It was going to take a while but it wasnt impossible. She moved steadily only stopping to kill a few walkers along the way. She was she guessed a mile out when she noticed tracks in the leaves and dirt in front of her. She crouched down studying them the way Daryl had taught her. There were four separate sets of footprints, one just slightly smaller than the rest.

She crawled a little farther to where the tracks spread out and became more distinct. A smile stretched across her face as the tread from cowboy boots became plain as day, Rick. Beth kept low following the prints closely, she slowed down as a fence came into view in the distance. The prints split up just ahead and she decided to follow the ones she could name. Just before the fence line still shrouded by trees they stopped. She dropped down to the ground scanning the place laid out before her, she could make out non discript concrete buildings and rusty-red train cars lined up along the side. She looked down scanning the dirt to see if any of the other footprints met up with his when she notice the patch of ground right in front of her looked strange.

Daryl bending down to pick up a dead branch and holding it up next to the live one he'd just snapped off a tree filled her mind.

"Live branches don't fall t'the ground on their own, if you see 'em there, it's cause someone wanted 'em to be" he'd said. Warning her about how to watch for traps after her ankle had been injured.

Beth stood grabbed a dead branch not far behind her and began to brush lightly at the ones in front of her, once they were cleared off she could see the loosely packed soil. Something was buried here, and judging by the boot prints there was a good chance Rick had been the one to do it. She began to dig gently not knowing what lay beneath, soon she felt fabric, pushing more of the dirt away she felt a zipper. She grabbed the edge of what she believed was a bag and tugged, it was heavy. Moving more dirt away she finally freed it. Slowly she pulled the zipper back and inside she saw the gleam of metal. Guns and knifes.

XXX

The sound of gun fire cracked through the air and she hit the ground. It was in the distance coming from the camp on the other side of the fence. She crawled forward slowly pulling the bag with her to get a better look through the chain link fence. She watched hearing bullets stream through the air, then in the clearing by the dusty red train cars four figures appeared. Beth's hand flew to cover her mouth as she made out Carl, Rick, Michonne, and Daryl.

She watched silently as they surrendered, feeling a pain rack her as Daryl kicked his precious cross-bow away. They were herded toward the first car and she heard faint yelling but couldn't make out the words as one by one the stepped inside. The door slid shut behind them with a loud clang. She shuffled backwards quickly and took cover behind a tree. Her head was reeling, she had found them, found him.

Anger surged quickly into her throat, this was where the car had intended to take her she was sure. What was their operation? Beth drew in a deep breath, she needed to form a plan. She dug through the bag and began strapping weapons to her person, whatever she was going to do she would need these. Fishing into the bottom she found a pair of metal snips, they were heavy duty, the kind used to cut through bolts.

A plan began to form in her head. She would wait until dusk, when most likely they would be changing out guard duty, she would cut enough of the fence so she could slip through then she would sprint for the train cars a football field away. She would dart immediately underneath the one holding her people and slide around to the door where hopefully there would be a lock she could cut.

XXX

Dusk began to settle over the woods and Beth made her way up to the fence, squinting she could see a small glob of dark clothes and figured she was right about changing guard. Quickly she snipped the links and slid through the fence stopping only to drag the bag through behind her, reaching down she threw it over her shoulder and let out full speed across the field.

Thankful for all the years of softball she slid soundly underneath the train car just as boots marched past. She tucked herself against the pillar of concrete blocks helping hold it up. Beth waited steadying her breath until darkness fell fully on the camp. Carefully she slid the snips from the bag and inched towards the stairs. She stuck her head out and strained her eyes in either direction, no one was coming. In a flash she jumped up to the top step smiling as she found the simple padlock looped through the door. Lining up the snips she pushed down, there was no give, reality hit her like bricks, doing this required a lot of strength. Daryl had always taken point when these became a necessity. Daryl's face hung heavy in her mind as determination filled her body. She clamped down as hard and quickly as she could and when she heard the metal snap Daryl's lips turned up in a smirk. Reaching quickly back under the car she grabbed the bag and pushed the door opening flinging it in first then slipping herself through before closing the small gap behind her broken lock in hand.

Beth crouched next to the bag fishing for the flashlights she knew were inside. Clicking one on she stood up and cast the light in front of her, illuminating Rick's bewildered face. Smiling she reached out and handed him the other one. She cast the light across the back wall of the train car and was aghast to find so many people crammed inside. Her light fell on each face as she recognized them in turn. Carl, Michonne, Maggie, Glenn, Sasha, Bob, and three new people she couldn't place. Then in the far corner she caught his face, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. She stepped immediately towards him brushing past Maggie's arms seeking her in the darkness.

Once she was in front of him she clicked off the light, plunging forward she wrapped her arms around his neck burying her face in his chest. She felt his mouth close as he was suddenly no longer frozen and his arms crushed in around her, his chin tucking her head in neatly. They stood there silently wrapped in one another for too brief a moment before Ricks whisper bit through the air. She stepped back as his flashlight found her.

"How'd you know we were here? How'd you find the bag? How'd you do any of it?" He asked.

"I picked up your tracks in the wood line a mile or so back" she whispered in response "I followed them to the spot they stopped outside the fence, I was scanning the area when I noticed the live tree limbs on the ground in front of me" she felt Daryl's smirk behind her. She continued "Once I brushed them off I noticed the dirt and figured you must have buried something there, so I dug it up. I'd just taken stock when I heard the gun shots. I moved up and watched as they put y'all in here. The plan just kinda came together from there".

Rick had turned the flashlight upward between them so both faces were visible as she spoke. He blinked wide-eyed back at her response, rubbing the back of his neck as the realization that the silence had stretched on too long hit him.

"I don't know what t'say" he whispered honestly.

"Don't say anything just take over and get us all out of here" she responded.

XXX


	2. Chapter 2

Rick was passing the weapons out quickly as he spoke, "We've gotta strike while it's still dark, they wont have had time to realize our lock is gone and most of them will be settled in for the night, taking out the guard is our first priority. Avoid using the guns until you have absolutely no other alternative" he whispered. "We pair off into teams, you stick with that person until we are out of this place, ya understand" He asked sweeping his eyes around the circle that had formed.

Everyone nodded and began to pair off, Beth saw Maggie looking at her and turned away. She did not plan on fighting next to anyone except Daryl. Straining to see in the darkness she found him on the edge of the group tucking a hand gun into his waist band before slinging a rifle across his shoulders and strapping a knife to his belt. She heard him mumble something about getting his crossbow back as she came up beside him. He looked over at her once she stopped next to him and she gave him a sharp nod. When he returned it Beth looked down to adjust her weapons.

Rick pulled the door open just wide enough so that everyone could slip through and one by one they poured out silently into the night. Beth watched from her place next to Daryl as Rick slid the door back shut and motioned everyone to hug the concrete wall behind them. Rick whispered over his shoulder to Michonne and she nodded stepping around Daryl to find Beth's ear "Which direction did you see the guards" she asked.

Beth pointed ahead toward the light shimmer of the fence in the distance. Michonne returned mimicking Beth's movement, jerking his head Rick moved forward and the group followed. They kept tight against the wall and followed it as far as they could before they came to a gap. On the other side the could see that another small expanse of concrete wall sat in the direction they were going but it was open after that up to the fence line where a small elevated building sat. Rick turned and whispered "Me, Michonne, Daryl, and Beth will pull ahead. Rest of ya stay put".

Peering around the corner Rick raised two fingers and signaled the other three ahead, they moved quickly and kept low until they met the next wall and closed it tight against it watching as Rick covered the space they had just left. Once he joined them they inched forward the same way as before until Rick brought his hand up to halt them. He turned around drawing them in close "Can she use it" he whispered pointing at the knife firmly in Beth's grasp but the question was aimed at Daryl. He nodded one sharp affirmative. Rick continued "Once we leave this corner we gotta move fast and silent, as soon as we're at the watch im gonna tap twice on the outside to bring one of 'em out, first person he turns his back to takes him out and catches the body before it drops, were gonna keep doing that til people stop coming then will climb up and sweep it".

Repeating the process from before they pulled away from the concrete and covered the small space to the fence. Rick rasp twice on the outside of the wooden building and everyone held their breath as a man came out and down the steps, he turned to his left and Michonne put her hatchet through his neck catching his body before his knees touched the ground. Once he was cleared Rick repeated, this time the man turned right and Daryl stepped forward driving his knife cleanly into the mans ear dragging his lifeless form backward while pulling it out. Rick tapped once more and they could hear shuffles and curses of confusion from inside, two men stepped out and when they reached the bottom one turned left the other right covering each others back. They held their breath listening to the low whispers of the men and as luck would have it they agreed to sweep off in opposite directions. Once they had put enough space between them Rick and Beth stepped forward respectively. Rick drew his knife across the man's neck quickly catching him under the shoulders as he slumped back. Beth drove her knife upwards at the base of the mans skull gripping it with both hands she used her strength to guide the man's corpse to the ground.

They tucked the bodies under the small building and Rick led them up the stairs gun drawn. They cleared the small space quickly, plucking the few remaining weapons and dispersing them evenly amongst themselves. Beth's eyes flickered to the corner where tanks of gasoline sat. Walking over to them she starred down while reaching a hand up to test the weight. "Daryl" she said flatly "still got your lighter"?

XXX

They made it back to the anxiously awaiting group each carrying two full tanks of gas in their hands. Everyone's forehead's wrinkled in confusion except Glen and the man she now knew was Abraham. Moving quickly they passed them out, Rick pulling two matches from a small box and leaving them with the keeper of each tank.

"We're gonna split off and circle round the place, make a trail of gas as you go, once you run out, light your matches drop em and step back. Then get your weapons up, you take out anyone who makes in through the flames" Rick whispered the instructions swiftly "We meet on the other side of the gate". As soon as he finished everyone took off.

Daryl and Beth headed toward the gate, the four of them had discussed it in the guard building and the two of them had agreed to take their tank and wait as long as they could before setting the front entrance a light. Cautiously they spread their gasoline trail wide across the expanse making a little tail that snaked up toward where they crouched. They would have just enough time to light it with Daryl's Zippo before turning and running through the gate at the last second before the flames overtook it.

Chaos ripped through the quiet as she watched the flames dance around the camp. She heard screaming and gunfire, and she felt bad that there could be some innocent people losing their lives. From what Daryl had explained about this place once they had taken their position she doubted there were, and if so it was very few. Daryl had only had to take out three people running toward the gate with his rifle and she was thankful, blood was one her hands but she did not want to look it in the eye.

The shots came fewer and further between as the flames moved further into the compound growing with intensity as the met up, swelling into a large rolling inferno. Running steps drifted to her ears and she watched as two by two her family ran through the gate. Taking mental notes of each person that passed through, they waited. The fire had grown rapidly and the edges were beginning to lick up dangerously close to where they had poured their fuel. Beth looked over at Daryl, "who we missin'" he asked.

"Rick, Michonne, and Carl" she said.

As if summoned Michonne tore into view followed closely by Rick but Carl didn't appear behind them. Darting through the gate they heard the pained cry erupted from Rick's throat "TORCH IT"!

They hesitated only for a moment before Daryl flicked open his lighter and touched the flame to the line of gasoline in front of them. Jumping to their feet they both let out full speed toward the gate. Daryl slipped through just behind her as the tall flames blazed above engulfing everything.

XXX

Everyone was pulling around into a circle and catching their breath as her and Daryl joined them. She flicked her eyes around to all the faces and watched as they all realized what she already knew, Carl was not there.

"Where's Carl" Maggie asked concern audible in her tone.

Rick's face was completely blank as he stared motionless at the gate. Michonne answered for him "He ran into one of the buildings in front of where we sat our fuel on fire".

The whole group gasped turning in unison to stare with Rick. "Last we saw the door closed behind him, then the flames blurred our vision" she finished.

"I gotta go back in there, I gotta find him" Rick yelled. He went to make for the gate and Daryl clamped down hard on his shoulders.

"This way" Daryl said jerking him quickly towards the woods.

Beth followed quickly behind Michonne who had sprinted to join Rick. The rest of the group followed only seconds behind. Daryl led them around at a jog to the place she had found the bag. The flames were burning hard bright streaks against the night sky but there was a space between the inside of the fence and where they started.

"Go in here, circle round til we find a place we can go in after him" Daryl said as he pulled back the chain link Beth had cut.

Rick slipped through without words, moving before thinking, letting his need to rescue Carl take over. Michonne followed him and Beth stepped up to slide through after her. Daryl reached out and caught her shoulder pulling her up right.

"Ya aint goin" he said as he pushed her backwards lightly.

"Like hell I aint" Beth growled shoving his hand off her making him stumble.

She moved passed him and through the hole before he caught her again. Once she was through she ran over to Rick and Michonne so he would not have a chance to pull her back. He came up behind her and she could feel his seething anger flow off his body in waves.

"Over there, thats where he went in" Michonne said, pulling her attention.

They ran over, the building engulfed, the flames were rolling against the high concrete wall lashing up into the sky before falling back down and starting over. Beth winced, the odds of him being alive in there were next to nothing. Daryl jerked his head and began running towards what looked liked a gap in the burning. They all came to a stop quickly raising their weapons to the sight in front of them.

Tucked into a gap growing ever smaller from the fire stood Carl, but he wasnt alone.

XXX

His gun was up and pointed between the eyes of a man Beth did not recognize but the others clearly did. Rick ran towards the scene gun ready but skidded to a halt just shy of it.

"Stop or I'll shoot him" the man yelled.

That is when the gun he had trained on Carl came into focus. "Shit" she heard Daryl curse.

She watched as Rick put his gun down, kicking it across the ground to the man, he stepped forward in shielding Carl. His face was inches from the end of the barrel and bile rose in Beth's throat. She had just found her family, she had just rescued her family, yet here she was watching again as one of them was held at gun point. Rick began to speak but she was not listening to what he was saying. The gap was filling quickly with fire and she knew no amount of words would get the man to lower the gun. She was scanning around frantically hoping a solution would present its self. It did.

A small metal ladder hung from the side of the building to their left. The fire had not reached it yet and Beth suspected it would be a few minutes before it did. She waited until she heard the man's voice fill the air again and she took off towards it. She darted up the ladder stopping only to make sure the man was still distracted by his own words before she did so. Pulling herself onto the roof she yanked the riffle from around her back and stalked to the corner of the building.

She rested the riffle in her hand and sured herself against the concrete. Beth took a deep breath and sighted down the gun the way her daddy had taught her years ago. She was never that great a shot but she could manage in a pinch. She found the mans head in her cross hairs and primed her finger on the trigger.

"Hey, Asshole" she shouted loudly.

He turned at the sound dropping his gun as he did. Beth watched as the hair on the back of his head was replaced by the skin of his forehead in her scope and without hesitation she squeezed the trigger.

XXX

Timed slowed and she watched as the bullet streaked through the air. She heard the wet thwack as it made contact with the man's skull and watched as it flew out the back past Ricks shoulder and then it disappeared. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body fell lifelessly to the ground. The thud of him hitting the pavement broke Beth's revere and she felt that icy cold slide down her spine for the second time.

She jumped up and ran back for the ladder noticing the flames that were rapidly taking over the building. She skidded down and ran back towards Daryl feeling the heat waft at her back. Making it to him she looked up, his face was a wash with impressed shock, she smiled at him and his anger replaced it immediately. She turned at the sight in the corner of her eye and watched as Rick helped a limping Carl forward, the orange glow closing in behind them.

Carl strode up to Daryl begrudgingly leaning on Rick for support, he reached behind his back pulling the cross-bow over his shoulder he threw it to Daryl. He caught it and chuckled. A smile stretched across Carl's black streaked face. Beth watched as he did the same with Mignonne's katana, Then he turned to her. "Thank you" he said.

Beth did not respond just stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug. She had done the only thing she could think of and she was just happy that it turned out to be the thing that saved them.


	3. Chapter 3

The fire was going to attract every walker in a hundred miles of the place, they needed to move, now. They were all running as fast as they could through the woods hoping to run across a house they could clear and lay low in until the next day. Everyone was panting visibly haggard from everything that had happened but willing themselves forward. They had run for almost twenty minutes before a break in the trees became visible. They slowed down letting Rick and Daryl step forward to asses the situation.

Rick stepped back and motioned everyone out of the treeline. They stepped into what was once someones back yard, a rusty metal swing set sat off to one side weeds had nearly swallowed it up but you could still see the top peeking out. Next to it half way up a tree was a nice little tree house with pretty white railing around it. The house was a one story brick structure, a starter home, is what the real estate agent would have called it. Moving quickly they split up and cleared the house. It was only two bedrooms with a small kitchen and living room, there were two walkers inside, Beth guessed they were the Mom and Daughter who had lived in it.

Everyone began to settle into their own spot and suddenly the little space seemed over crowded. Beth slipped silently out the back door toward the tree house. She pulled on the old rope testing to see if it would hold her, when it didn't break free she jumped up using the knots to propel herself upwards. She got to the top and pulled herself onto the little deck. She reached behind her and pulled the rope up tucking it into the railing, not from fear of walkers but force of habit from childhood.

Beth smiled as she stood up, memories of being little and calling out to Hershel from the little house he had built her and tucked into a big tree on their farm flooding her mind. She ran her hand down the railing as she made her way toward the door. Reaching for the handle she lifted it and pushed open the wooden door. She stepped forward and took a sharp breath in, a pair of wings on the back of a leather vest directly in front of her. Daryl was standing in the middle of the small space staring at a poster of Hannah Montana. She glanced around posters, magazine cut outs, and drawings covered the walls, the floor was covered in a fluffy pink rug with a dusty purple bean bag crumpled on the side.

Daryl shook his head grunting as he turned around, he threw his crossbow up, caught off guard by the person standing in the door way. Beth smiled and he lowered it "the fuck, Beth" he snapped.

"What'd I do to you" she snapped back anger flaring on her cheeks.

"Came up behind me, almost shot ya" he responded shrinking back a little at her returned surliness.

Beth huffed "NO! I mean what did I do to you?! You've been acting like an asshole ever since the fence" she yelled.

She watched his knuckles go white around his cross-bow and the muscles in his neck constrict as he hissed back at her "you didn't listen t'me, last thing I needed was to be worryin' 'bout you while I was runnin' in t'fire".

"Jesus, are you serious? You don't need to be worried about me, I can handle myself just fine, okay" she scoffed.

He drug a large hand down his face "You run off tryin' to be the hero, leave me standin there t'watch, without knowing where your headin'. I can't protect ya when ya do that" he yelled "I dun lost ya once, I aint gonna do it again"!

Beth paled "Is that what this is about"?

"Its bout you being stupid and irresponsible with ya own damn life, Beth" he seethed.

She stepped forward and grasped his shoulders, sliding her hands down she found his. He tilted his head locking eyes with her, she stepped forward and pressed her lips to his. She felt him tense beneath her before he responded hungrily to her kiss. Her hands dropped from his snaking back up his biceps and around his neck pulling him in deeper. His hand knotted into her hair as the other one found her hip dragging her forward. Beth sighed trailing her hands down his chest relishing the hard muscles rippling just beneath the fabric. Her hands traveled to the top button and with deft fingers she pulled them free splitting his shirt enough that she could slip her hands inside.

"Mmmm" she growled.

She pushed the vest and shirt from his shoulders and reached for his belt. Daryl's head snapped away and he took three steps backward sucking in a hard breath "What the hell do ya think you're doing" he asked.

XXX

Something had snapped inside Beth when the lid of that trunk had closed her in the darkness. She was tired of letting life just happen to her. She'd lost her home, lost her friends, and watched her Mama and Daddy die. This new world took a lot of choices away from people, and it was about damn time she stood up and started taking them back.

"You know exactly what im doing Daryl Dixon" Beth grunted out putting her hands on her hips in exasperation.

"Yeah I do, and y'aint ready for it" he said shrugging his vest and shirt back on.

Beth felt an odd coldness seep into her body and a distant controlled anger take over her voice, "Last I checked I'm a grown woman, with my own set of needs, and its my decision when I want them to be met".

Daryl looked up scanning her face, but she did not move. He opened his mouth to speak again and she purposefully cut him off "The only decision you have to make is whether or not I need to go out and look for someone else to help me do it" she said flatly.

Beth turned on her heel and walked out without sparing him a glance. She heard the wooden door slap shut behind her and she leaned forward onto the railing taking in a deep breath. The cold collected feeling began to recede and she panicked momentarily at what she had said. She knew she did not want to go out and find anyone else. Daryl was the only man who could satisfy the hunger growing in the pit of her stomach and she did not see that changing.

She climbed back down the rope and stalked towards the woods. Beth was alert and cautious but nearly consumed in thought as she walked slowly looking for a tree to climb. She knew Daryl was more than a means to an end, or a way to fulfill a need. In him she found missing parts of herself, he had helped her find a strength she never knew she possessed, he'd taught her how to survive, and even though she hated to admit that she had been, he had stripped her of her naivety about the world. Her happiness and joy were still there, she was still herself but a better version, and she owed it all to the time she spent with him.

Stopping in front of a big tree she sighed. She could recognize that she was being driven by a carnal need to take her life into her own hands. Reaching up she pulled herself up to the first level of branches, swinging her leg over the lowest one she continued upward until she found a spot where the trunk separated into three smaller chunks reaching toward the sky. She nestled into the little chair they created and leaned her head back, her eyes slid closed. Letting her baser self take over had the potential to wreak havoc on her life, leaving her wrought with heavy emotions and scars once it was all said and done but she did not see anyway around that now. Her life was forever altered by circumstances beyond her control and she could either shrink away, wither, and die a helpless sappy waif; or she could stand up, take control, and become one of those strong women she had read about in history books. Beth chose the latter.

XXX

Beth woke with the first tendrils of light flowing through the trees. She had fallen asleep tucked away into a ball on her nature seat. Yawning, she stretched feeling a bit stiff and began her descent down the big tree. She pulled her hair down, raking her fingers through it trying and failing to comb some of the knots from it, giving up she began tugging it back into a pony tail as she cleared the tree line into the back yard. Looking up she caught sight of Daryl as he swung down the rope out of the tree house. She steeled herself and walked on toward the house, brushing past him without acknowledgement. If he wanted to act on what was between them he would have to come to her, she did not have time to chase after a man who might not want her.

Rick quirked an eyebrow at her coming in the back door, Daryl close behind, as he called for everyone to gather around. Once everyone was settled he started talking "I know we are all happy t'be together again, and alive. But we're still not safe. We need to find a new home. So here's what I was thinking".

She listened carefully as Rick shared his plan to have everyone break of into small groups and pairs to fan out and look for somewhere new. He wanted to start as soon as possible and meet back at this house in two weeks. He produced a road atlas, and Beth guessed he had gotten it out of the car in the garage. He called Daryl, Glenn, and Abraham to join him and she listened as he gave their marching orders. Abraham agreed to help but on the contingency that Rick helped him stock up and get ready for his trip to DC after the group settled. Rick had agreed easily. After he was finished he dismissed the chosen leaders to chose who they wanted to take with them.

Maggie made her way to Beth through the crowd. "You can come with Glenn and Me" she said more as a fore gone conclusion than an offer.

"Probably not" Beth said flatly.

Maggie blinked visibly taken a back by her sisters answer. "Wouldn't want to distract you from Glenn" Beth finished.

She knew she was being over harsh and just lashing out for different reasons, but today her anger settled on Maggie, using the faint memory of the sign to egg her on. A tear rolled down Maggie's face and Beth felt guilty. She stepped forward and hugged her sister, patting her on the back. Pulling away she spoke again "I just need my space, Its time for me to live my own life. Daddy's gone and you've got Glenn, its time for me to become my own woman".

"I love you, Bethy" Maggie squeaked as she nodded her head in understanding.

"I love you too" Beth said and watched as she turned and walked away shoulders sagging.

Beth walked back outside and leaned against the brick wall. A walker came ambling in to the yard and she watched as it turned its rotting nose into the air as it caught the scent of her flesh. It turned and started toward her, dragging its left foot behind it. She sighed and unsheathed her knife. Waiting she let it get closer, it lunged for her and she grabbed it around the shoulders spinning on her heel she drug it with her and slammed it against the wall she had just been leaning on. Rearing back she drove her knife into its forehead with all her strength and the snarl in its throat blinked out.

She pulled her knife out as the walker's body slumped to the ground, she drug the dirty blade across the shoulder of its shirt and it left a thick black trail behind. Beth looked up as she heard the back door open. Daryl came out of the house reflexively tightening the grip on his crossbow when he sighted the walker. She felt the cold calm come over her again as she sheathed her knife and stepped toward him. Staring at him she bit down the reflex to break the silence, forcing him to speak first.

"S'go Greene" he said gruffly.

He stepped off the little patch of concrete, sparing her a glance over his shoulder as he walked past her towards the woods on the other side of the rusted out swing set. A smile tugged on the corners of Beth's mouth as she set out to follow him.

XXX


	4. Chapter 4

**Someone said they would like to get some Daryl POV so I gave it a shot. Not sure how I feel about it. I have a hard time feeling like I really nail he's head space. Anyways, let me know what you think. If its positive I may try and weave it in again! :)**

Chap 4

She had not stopped singing since they broke into the car. Daryl had watched her eyes light up when she spotted the CDs hanging in the holder from the visor over the driver's seat, but he had no idea she was going to be belting out every classic rock song she knew as they rode along. He reached over at one point attempting to turn it down and she had slapped his hand away then fixed him with a murderous glare.

They were going to be on the road for a while. Rick had picked Daryl to go all the way to the coast past Savannah to scout out Fort Pulaski. Daryl remembered learning about it at some point in school but did not know much more than its general location. Pointing out that he had the best sense of direction and that he trusted his judgement on its validity as a home for them, Rick had given him a ripped off page of the map and told him to hurry. He had the furthest to go and needed to get there and back in two weeks. It would take him and Beth five hours in the old world, now he thought they may be at least eight.

She was still carrying on in the seat next to him, and he smiled. She had left him standing in that tree house last night staring at the closed-door with his mouth pressed into a thin line. He had been shocked at the calm resolve she seemed to have, but when she spat out the second part about finding someone else, what he assumed was jealously nearly choked him. Daryl had plopped down on the ridiculous rug, rested his head on the purple bean bag and closed his eyes. His head swimming, he knew he felt things for Beth, and lust was one of those things. She was an angel but she sure had a body built for sinning. His dreams were full of an angel Beth with the wings from his vest moaning from pleasure beneath him.

He was pulled from thoughts by the sudden lack of sound. She had turned the radio off and settled into the seat looking out the window as he drove.

"What happend t'your concert" he asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. He noticed that cold calm attitude had stuck with her, if she had to interact with him it was controlled. Looking back out the windshield he sighed. Something was different about her now, not in a bad way, if anything he liked it even more. She was feisty, sure of herself, and tough. When had that happened? The Beth he knew was a survivor, sure, but in a quiet strength of spirit sort of way. Now it was like she had broken through something that was holding the real her back and she was shaking free. Daryl chuckled to himself. It was funny because that is how he felt when he was with her. Like he had finally broken through and was being himself. She did that when they were together, he could almost physically feel her sweet optimism push in and fill the holes he had kept closed for years. Building him up, soothing him, and making him a better man for it. He loved that feeling. Fear washed over him at his thoughts, he had closed off all those holes years ago for a reason, the only love he had ever known was drowned in whiskey and cigarets and beat on him every chance it got.

He took a deep breath, "Beth" he almost whispered.

"Hmmm" she said rolling her head toward him against the seat.

"Dont find n'one else" he said gruff and unsure "please".

Chancing a glance her way he saw her wide eyes and she gave him a small nod.

"Jus need sum time s'all" he said.

"O-o-okay" she managed, the soft warmth returning to her voice.

Beth reached over and grabbed his hand entwining their fingers she settled them on the console between them. Daryl let her.

XXX

She stared out the window as the miles ticked by smiling to herself when she remembered their entertained hands. Beth could not believe he had asked her to wait for him, she had been speechless when he had said as much but once the words registered she was overwhelmingly happy. She was not giddy like a teenager with a crush, she was genuinely happy at the idea of sharing life with someone. She loved the idea of having someone to fight with, someone to survive with, someone who completed her, made her whole. She found that in Daryl.

Beth blushed at the thought, it reminded her of the way her daddy had always described soul mates. She peaked over at Daryl as he drove, if he could hear her thoughts he would run for the hills she was sure of it. She let out a sigh, Daryl glanced over at the sound.

"S'on your mind" He said looking back to the road.

She stiffened up in the seat knowing she could not be honest yet "Just wondering how much farther, getting tired of being in the car. Need to stretch" she answered, which was not a lie.

Daryl nodded "Hold the map up".

Beth reached for the torn page sitting in the cup holders. She held it up with her free hand taking note that he never moved to unlink his hand from hers she smiled. He shook his head okay and she returned it.

" 'bout an hour, we're gonna stop about five miles out, find a place for the night" he said "we'll go by foot in the morning to scope things out".

"Sounds good" she said as she settled back into the seat.

XXX

Beth sat up straight, un-linking their hands, on high alert as they eased down the long secluded driveway. The house was coming in to view, it was decent sized and painted a bright turquoise blue. It was up off the ground on what she would call stilts, with a big deck and stairs. She could see a dock behind it and a boat hanging in the cover attached to it. She figured it must have been someones vacation home.

Daryl pulled in and parked a few feet from the bottom step. They both slid out and readied their knives as they tread quietly up the stairs. At the top was a set of large white french doors with glass panels that lead into the house. She watched as Daryl stepped forward cupping his hands around his eyes as he peered in, there was only about an hour of sunlight left and she was thankful they would not have to clear it out in the dark. Stepping back he reached for the handle, then he turned back to her.

" S'locked" he whispered "need t'check the windows".

They split off and circled around the porch, She was careful to step quietly against the wood the way he had taught her. Passing a large window she kept moving forward in hopes of finding something less substantial to break. They did not need the noise nor hassle of breaking more glass than necessary. She carefuly rounded the corner at the back of the house and immediately saw the smaller window at her eye level. She stood on her tip toes to peek inside, it was a little bathroom, the door was closed to the rest of the house, and she figured this was their best bet. She looked over and saw Daryl heading towards her.

He nodded and she stepped back as he wrapped his vest around his hand and landed a hard punch against the glass. It shattered but the bulk of the noise was muffled by the leather and the soft bath mat the shards landed on inside. Daryl shook his vest out and shrugged it back on then motioned her over as he cupped his hands to boost her through. She stepped up placing her booted foot in his hands and with their combined momentum she swung her leg through the seal straddling it only long enough to swing the other leg through and drop to the ground on the other side with a dull crunch.

"Hear anything" he asked. She stepped forward and pressed her ear to the door. Squeezing her eyes closed she strained to hear, making sure she did not miss anything.

She stepped back toward the window, "Nothing. I think its clear" she said.

"Meet me at the front door, keep your eyes open and knife up" he said.

She nodded even though he could not see her, reaching forward to ease the door open.

XXX

They slid the couch in front of the doors and locked them, they knew walkers would not be likely to figure out the steps but if people came by they had at least some front line defense. Beth ran her hand across the kitchen counter as she walked toward the pantry. There were only a few things left, some canned vegetables, a couple of boxes of rice, and some popcorn. She wondered to herself if the microwave bags would pop if she set them close enough to a fire. Daryl came around the corner as she placed everything on the island.

"Only one bed" He shifted nervously from one foot to the other while rubbing the back of his neck.

Beth looked up "That's okay you can have it, I'll curl up on the love seat" she said without even thinking about it.

She rifled around in the drawers until she found a can opener, and set to work on two cans of beans. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him still shifting around, like he wanted to move forward and say something but could not figure out how.

"Daryl" she said curiously "what is it you wanna say".

"Jus think that, maybe, I don't know, if ya want, we can just, ya know share or something" he stumbled over the words as he walked forward and grabbed his can.

Beth popped her head up from her can "Oh! Well yeah, I-I didn't think you'd want to" she said.

Daryl grabbed the fork from her hand and turned walking toward the living room. "Dont mind" he shrugged, but she could see the slight tension in his shoulders.

Was he nervous? Beth smirked. Who would have ever thought she could make Daryl Dixon nervous. She followed him into the living room and settled in on the rug opposite him across the coffee table. They ate silently just enjoying the calm. Once she had finished she pushed up from the table deciding she was going to look for some clothes she could sleep in, wearing jeans to bed always made her feel worse the next morning.

She felt Daryl's eyes on her as she stood "Just gonna try and find some pajamas, hate sleeping in jeans" she said.

"Jus slip 'em off right 'for you get in the bed. I wont look" he said flippantly.

She knew he was just being practical, it's what he planned to do she was sure. She had seen him in his boxers a handful of times after they left the prison and she had cleaned and folded them plenty of times before that, it was not a big deal. It was not strictly an option for her tonight though, she had trashed her last pair of underwear weeks ago while they were on the road. Women's troubles had ruined them and she figured going without for a while was better than trying to salvage them. That is until this moment when she had to explain herself.

"Cant do that" she said.

"Gonna be modest now, after what you tried last night" he smirked, poking fun at what he took for shyness.

She cocked her head to the side, suddenly feeling brazen with the need to wipe the smirk of his face "Nah, just aint wearing nothing underneath" she winked.

XXX

She had not stayed to watch whatever look had crossed his face, the minute she heard the words out loud a slight embarrassment took over. However as she ruffled through the drawers in the bedroom she felt her confidence return. This was part of it, part of becoming her own woman, being assertive and flirting. She had no reason to be ashamed of her sexuality, she could own it. Pulling open a drawer she found a few pairs of sweat pants and some old ratty t-shirts, she grabbed them and padded toward the bathroom.

Beth did not want to push Daryl too far, she had seen what could happen if she did. Even though alcohol had been involved then she did not want to risk it. She tugged off her jeans and shirt hanging them over the shower rod and pulled the clean sweats and t-shirt on, the only way it could have felt better is if she could have showered first. She exited the little bathroom and walked back down the short hallway to the bedroom. She stopped in the doorway and watched as Daryl kicked off his boots and slid his jeans down into a pile next to them on the floor then climbed into the bed.

She walked over to the other side of the bed and picking up the covers and slid in underneath. Daryl was laying on his back with his head on a pillow and his forearm drapped across his eyes. Turning on over to face him she wriggled around, down into the bed until she was comfortable. Her chest brushed against something and she froze. She had taken her bra off and the contact created a sensation that lit her on fire.

Daryl went tense beside her. "Please don't run, I didn't mean too" she whispered out apologetically.

She listened as he took a few deep breaths. "Aint gonna run" he said softly as he turned to face her.

"I know your not ready" she said "I don't wanna push you".

Daryl snorted "You make me sound like the damn virgin".

She smiled thankful she had not upset him with the accidental touch and that he seemed to be in a joking mood. She reached for his hand, searching his eyes for approval before she laced their fingers together between them. They let their eyes roam across each others face for a while, silently studying, and for her remembering. She felt her eyes start to drift closed, smiling as she watched his do the same. They stayed that way all night until the sun drug her from her dreams.

XXX


	5. Chapter 5

She had her hand resting on the handle of her knife as it bounced against her hip while they walked. Daryl wanted to approach the old fort from the woods, just in case someone was already occupying the space. Falling in step behind him she watched as he slid silently through the trees, blending into their surroundings effortlessly. There was something about watching him move around in nature when everything was quiet, and she felt that all to familiar tightening low in her abdomen. She watched as he reached into his back pocket plucking the bandana from it and bringing it up, he drug it across his brow. The heat here was different from the other side of the state, it was thick and wet like a being covered in a soaked wool blanket while laying on the beach. She stopped when he did and reached out to take the bandana when he offered it. Without even thinking she slid it between her breasts to catch an escaped bead of sweat, before tugging it back up and around her neck under her hair. When she had finished she outstretched her hand to return it and looked up.

"Thank you" she said but it filtered out at the end when she saw the look on his face.

Daryl was standing in front of her with his stormy blue eyes glued to her chest and his mouth parted slightly. Her first instinct was to shift uncomfortably under his gaze but she quickly pushed that away and instead opted to take the opportunity to be bold once again. Taking a deep breath she pushed her chest out causing the top of her breast to push upward and become barely visible at the top of her tank top. She heard him suck in a sharp breath and with her free hand she traced the seam line from her shoulder, down across her collar bone, until it sat gently at the V-shaped dip in the middle.

"Daryl" she said softly trying her best to sound seductive "would you like this back"?

Finally dragging his eyes up to meet hers he nodded and grabbed the black cloth from her hands. She giggled breathlessly as he turned jerkily around and began to stalk forward again.

"Almost there" she heard him grumble a few steps ahead.

She did not answer, still reeling from the sexual charged energy from a few moments before. Beth had no idea what she was doing when it came to flirting and being seductive. She was going off of natural instinct and new found confidence, she hoped that it continued to work in her favor. Being alone with Daryl again was bringing up all the memories from the last month, and like a moth to a flame she felt herself being drawn closer to him with each passing hour.

XXX

He turned around and offered the bandana to Beth. He figured she was just as hot as he was if not worse because of the long hair trailing down her back. When she took it he watched as she dipped it down into the V of her tank top, a tiny sigh escaped her lips as she pulled it back out and around her neck. He felt his eyes go wide as his gaze fell heavy on her chest. Suddenly his mind was assaulted with images of what might be underneath, full perky breasts and pert pink nipples. He could imagine reaching out and feeling the soft weight of them filling his hands, as he registered that she had spoken. Trying he failed to pull his gaze away and he watched as she took in a deep breath and soft smooth skin appeared above the top of her tank top. Sucking in a deep breath his eyes flickered up at her tiny hand trailing down the seam of her top and he felt jealous as he watched it graze across her skin. He was about to step forward and cover her hand with his when he heard her speak again. It pulled him from his revere and dragging his eyes up the path her hand had just taken he finally looked in her eyes. She smiled and he reached out to take the bandana back. He turned around and almost lost his footing as he readjusted his suddenly uncomfortable pants. He heard her barely there giggle behind him.

"Almost there" he grunted out in a effort to calm himself down.

Being back in the woods alone with her was making all the memories from the last month return. She was flooding his senses, and after her little comment last night images of her were nearly blacking out his vision. She was going to keep this up he knew it and he was going to cave. There is only so much resistance a man can have with a beautiful woman. He let his mind chase down the rabbit trail of his feelings for her as he stalked forward. He wanted to be with her more than anything, but what happened when she got him out of her system. Where was he left when she fulfilled her bad boy fantasy and decided to move on with her life. He would be left sitting there, broken and hurting. She did not feel the things for him that he felt for her, there was no way a woman like Beth would ever feel that way about a man like him.

The trees began to thin out ahead of them. He pulled himself from his thoughts and focused on the task at hand. He put his hand up behind him and halted Beth, he crouched low and moved toward the tree line. Stopping just shy of being in the open he scanned the area in front of him. There was a parking lot a few feet away with two cars in it, one was a small black car and the other was a government truck with a property of Georgia State Park System stamped on it. Beyond that the fort was visible in patches over grassy green mounds in front of it. He did not see any walkers but that did not mean there were no around.

He motioned Beth forward and side by side they emerged from the trees. They both had their weapons at the ready as they made their way slowly through the parking lot. When they reached the other side he spotted a small path that wound up past a big tree and up toward the fort. He tugged on her elbow and she followed him as he moved up the trail. Climbing uphill slightly he scanned around the fields the sat on either side of the fort and the marshy land and mouth of the Savannah River behind it. He stopped a what used to be a small wooden plank bridge across the motes that surrounded it. It had been tore down and he could see the former pieces sticking haphazardly out of water beneath. Someone had thought ahead and used it as a precautionary measure to keep people and walkers out. That meant there was probably no one or nothing inside, but he needed to be sure. He walked back to the small hill they had crested and laid down flat on the other side, motioning Beth to do the same. Once she was settled he brought his fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle.

XXX

Beth let out a satisfied groan as the air conditioning in the car hit her sticky skin. When nothing came forward from Daryl's whistle they had walked the perimeter and decided it was clear. They needed to fix the little bridge to get inside and that meant they needed some wood. He had suggested they use the small hatchet he had to chop down some of the smaller pines but she quickly pointed out how much time and energy that would take and suggested the Home Depot she remembered from their drive onto the island.

They had made it back to the car quicker than they had come and she knew it was because now that he had walked it Daryl would be able to remember his path through these woods forever. She wanted to get that good, have tracking just be second nature, and do it without even thinking anymore. Hopefully Daryl would be willing to teach her, she figured it would take a few years.

The parking lot was clear and as they approached the store she pulled her knife out of its sheath. Her free hand drifted to the gun she had tucked into her waist band, it was only there as a last resort, firing in a big metal building like this one would only draw more walkers. Daryl pried the doors apart and went in first but she kept tight on his flank. They crept quietly toward the lumber section. They turned down the aisle and she scanned it, stuck behind an orange accordion fence was what us to be an employee. He was still wearing the orange apron and he began to snarl and run his shins into the low barrier when he caught their scent. Daryl raised his cross-bow, she reached forward and touched his shoulder.

"I got it" she whispered.

As she got closer it began to move faster and when its rotten leg snapped in half it toppled over the fence and struck the cement floor with a wet sounding thud. Beth shook her head and jogged forward. She pushed the end of her knife through its skull just as it began to raise its head. She wiped the rotting blood of on what was left of its shirt and walked back to Daryl.

"This s'what we need, two by fours" he whispered "Grab us about twelve and I'll go get a cart".

She nodded and watched as he rounded the corner at the end of the aisle. Setting her knife on the boards to her left she reached up and began plucking what the needed from the rack two at a time and placed them on the floor. She did not hear the growl until it was to late and she felt the dead flesh slam into her left side as she dropped the boards. She shoved it back and it stumbled but immediately lunged back towards her. It was between her and her knife and she did not want to use the gun. She let it push her backward until she felt her heel connect with one of the boards she had placed on the ground. Shoving the walker backward she dropped into a quick squat and picked up one of the two by fours. Jumping to her feet she swung it out hard and it connected with the advancing walker's midsection and knocked it to the ground, she darted for her knife, she snatched it up and turned on her heel. The walker was almost on its feet, she ran forward as she pulled the wood horizontally across her chest. She slammed into the back of the walker just before it got up using the board to pin its shoulders. Getting her feet underneath her she put her knees on the board and using her body weight she pinned it just long enough to sink her knife in the side of its head.

With a grunt she rolled off and out onto the cool cement floor, a shadow loomed up beside her and Daryl's face came into view.

"Nice one" he said but the look on his face was panicked.

"Thanks" she said, taking his outstretched hand and hauling herself up "I'm okay you know, you don't have to worry about me, you taught me how to fight".

"Didn't say I was" he huffed.

"I know, but your face did" she responded.

"Lets just get outta here" he grunted as he loaded the boards on the cart next to a hammer and box of nails.

XXX

Daryl had built them a ramp quickly and they made it across the small gap easily. They pulled it to the other side with them and settled it just out of view. The fort had a small island in front of it where mounds had been built up with tunnels underneath them so solders could take cover while defending the front gate. The draw bridge gate connected the main fort to the small island and once they had cleared the place they had circled back around and Daryl was fiddling with the chains and crank that raised and lowered it. She had noticed an old claw foot tub in one of the displays of an officers room and could not stop thinking about how nice it would be to have a bath. She needed some fresh clothes and underwear though, and he looked too preoccupied to go on a run.

"I'm gonna go on a run down the street. I saw a small strip mall, and I need a few things. I'll be back in time to cook those rabbits you caught" she said as she went to walk past him.

She watched as he jumped up with wide eyes and anger on his face "You can't go alone" he growled.

"Daryl first of all, yes I can. Second, do not try and father me. I have one of those already" she said back softly but with an edge of warning.

He paled when she mention Hershel "Beth" he said and it left his lips as a plea.

She smiled and checked the ammo in her gun "I got this, I wont be gone long. I can handle it I promise. If I'm not back by dark just come save me" she winked.

He huffed but handed her the keys and helped her put the boards down, she waved at him when she got in the car just on the other side of the moat. She hummed along to the Lynard Skynard CD that played lowly as she drove. The stores were only five minutes up the road and there was no sense in cranking it up into a full-blown concert. She eased the car into the deserted parking lot and stopped in front of the Victoria's Secret. It was rare to find these as standalone stores and not in a mall and she was thrilled at the idea of a few new bras.

She hopped out of the car and drew her gun. The doors were surprisingly unlocked and she noticed a few of the mannequins at the front had been knocked over. She pulled the door open easily and swept through the small store. No one was there and she stood looking out the front door from the register. She saw faint footprints on the tile floor where the sunlight hit them and let her small tracking knowledge kick in. The strides were spread far apart and only the flat part of the shoe, no heel, so the person was running. They were under a thick covering of dust and nothing disturbed them besides Beth's own foot prints in the dust. So no one had been here since everything went down. The door had been unlocked and Beth suddenly saw the scene play out before her. An employee had come in to work despite all the reports on the television and then something had happened to make her leave in a hurry, leaving the cash register open and the door unlocked, knocking the mannequins over on her quick exit never to return. Beth sighed. Sometimes she forgot other people had lived and gone through all this too.

She reached under the counter and pulled out a few bags, after locking the door, she milled around the store picking up some cotton bras and panties. Stuffing them in one bag she reached back and grabbed a bunch of mixed sizes shoving them into the other. She was sure the other girls would be happy to go through them and pick some stuff out once they were all back together. Turning around she saw the display across the little aisle. A beautiful silk chemise draped over the front of a half mannequin. She had seen things like this before when Maggie had drug her out to shop for her friends bridal shower. The fabric was a light creamy ivory that was solid down the front but the back opened into a set of see through embroidered angel wings. It reminded her of the back of Daryl's vest but in a much daintier and elegant form. She thumbed through the hangers and picked out one in her size. She slipped it into her bag, and walked down to a little display of stockings. She grabbed a few pair and a garter belt, then a matching lace bra, and before she knew it she had filled her bag with black, red, and white lace, satin, and silk.

The store carried a limited selection of clothing and Beth picked out a few pairs of jeans and some shorts. She grabbed one of each of the tops, there were only about five to chose from and although none of them were practical she thought they were pretty so she took them anyway. Before she left she stopped at a small display of soaps and lotions and grabbed them, putting a few in her bag and the rest in the other.

Next door was a tourist shop and the door was hanging open. The place had been cleaned out but she swept through anyway. She found a small display of things that people sometimes forgot to pack and she snatched up a razor, a toothbrush, a small pack of Tylenol, and an umbrella. There were still no walkers and she slipped silently to the car and loaded her haul into the back seat. She turned back down the road, she would make it back just as dark set in. Daryl would probably be pacing but she did not care, all she could think about was a hot bath, shaving her legs, and then slipping in to the ivory silk lingerie she had tucked in her bag.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you everyone for your great reviews, favorites, and follows. Its so encouraging. I started writing this just for me but now I'm excited that others are enjoying it with me. I sat down today to jot down a few ideas and this chapter just poured out. I hope you enjoy it. Its a big moment for the Bethyl! :)**

"Daryl" she said looking across the fire. He had calmed down finally after she returned and he was satisfied she had not gotten hurt, they had done a few more things then cooked dinner and sat down to eat.

He looked up from the rabbit he was picking apart "Yeah" he answered.

She smiled "I never got to tell you, Thank You".

"F'what" he responded with a confused expression.

"Teaching me, making me stronger, you're the reason I survived this last month" she said sheepishly.

He blushed huffing "Seem to remember you were the one t'rescue me".

A huge grin over took her face "I just remembered the things you taught me, I kept seeing your face, it helped me make all my decisions. It's why I kept moving forward, I knew you were out there. I could never have done it if I wouldn't have met you".

He did not respond just blinked his wide eyes and shifted uncomfortably in the dirt. She knew he would be uncomfortable with the praise but she needed to tell him. They fell back into comfortable silence while they both ate. She kept thinking about everything she had done and how much different she was now. How much stronger, how much more confident, how much more independent she felt, and how much Daryl had played a unknowing role in all of it. She felt bold again, alive with the memories echoing in her head. She sat the picked over carcass back on the fire and walked over to settle next to him. She angled her body to face his and waited for him to do the same.

"Do you believe in soul mates" she asked.

He eyes flew wide and he cleared his throat "Like in those damn romance novels" he asked.

"No, like two people created for each other" she responded.

"Uh, I don't know, never really thought 'bout it I guess" he rubbed the back of his neck.

"My Daddy always said soul mates are two people who find their missing pieces in each other, who make each other complete, and better people because of it" she said.

He just blinked at her again so she continued "He said that it was hard for them to find each other, and sometimes it happened in the craziest ways. He told me if I ever thought I found mine to hold on to him because I may never get the chance again".

"What're ya tryin t'say Beth" he grumbled.

"That stuff I said before, I meant it. You've made me a better person. You filled in my missing pieces" she said softly.

He looked down at the ground between them and she decided not to push it any further. She stood and grabbed the buckets of water she had warmed by the fire and headed toward the tub.

XXX

The buckets were heavy-duty five gallon ones they grabbed on the way out of the Home Depot, she figured two would fill the tub up enough for her to get a good the water was inside she pulled the old privacy screen across the floor and blocked the view from the bed before shifting out of her clothes and sliding down into the hot water. It felt fantastic, she did not realize how sore or tense she had been until her muscles began to unfurl in the heat. She reached down to grab her new bottle of shower gel from the floor bringing it to her nose she popped the top open to inhale the scent. It smelled like raspberries and she pulled it back to read the label, Midnight Dare, smiling she poured a handful out then stared to lather up. She liked the name, it sounded shameless, like someone who would never back down from anything would wear it.

She dipped her head under, soaking her hair, she used another dollop of the soap to scrub her hair then pulled up a handful of the little water she had left in the bucket and rinsed it clean. She threw her hair over the back edge of the tub and leaned her head back against the smooth white surface. Bringing her leg up she stuck it out of the water and turned it side to side, she definitely needed to shave. Careful to keep her hair out of the water she grabbed the disposable razor she had scored earlier and lathered her leg in a thick layer of the soap. She took her time shaving making sure it was smooth from her ankles to the top of her thighs. Sighing as she finished she leaned her head back to enjoy the last few minutes of hot water, soon it would be room temperature, which was not exactly cold but still no one liked a tepid bath. She stood up and used the last of the water from the bucket to pour down her body and rinse it clean.

Carefully she stepped out of the tub and grabbed the long beach towel draped across the privacy shade. They raided the gift shop after she got back from her run and found some useful things; T-shirts, matches, cups, plates, candles, and towels. She had lit a few of the candles and placed them around the big room when she had come in and it was casting a fait light on her activities. Everything was stamped with pictures of the fort, very touristy but she did not mind. Finding clean things was hard in this world and she was thankful about how lucky she had been today.

She dried off and walked over to her bag she pulled the ivory silk out. Holding it out in front of her she admired it again, she really had not given thought to what Daryl would think of it. She had picked it up because she thought it was beautiful and figured she would feel the same with it on. Holding it up now she wondered what his response would be, he would probably assume she was trying to lure him in to sleeping with her. She went to fold it back into the bag but stopped and thought back to the morning after the tree house. It was her life, she did not have time to worry about a man who may or may not want her, this was something she wanted to do because she liked it. To hell with what he thought it meant.

Dropping her towel to the floor she slipped the soft fabric over her head and down her naked body. It settled into place and it felt as though she was being caressed softly all over. She smiled even though she could not see her reflection, she was right, she felt absolutely beautiful. She tugged her still damp hair up into a loose messy bun with a ribbon she had snagged from the gift wrap station in the gift shop, then reached behind her to feel the see through wings on the back. The wings dipped lower on her than they had on the mannequin and she could feel them spread out across the top of her bottom. If he caught a glimpse of her back, Daryl was going to get an eyeful tonight. Giggling lowly to herself she spread lotion across her legs and she couldn't help herself she hoped she would have occasion to turn around on her way to bed tonight.

XXX

He watched as she stood quietly and grabbed the water for her bath leaving him there to mull over her words. What in the world was she trying to say. There was no way she thought he was her 'soul mate', women like Beth were never destined for men like Daryl. The women destined for him drank often, smoked heavily, and had not been to church or prayed maybe ever. She was sweet, and gentle nothing like the few women he had interacted with in his past. Of course he had never felt anything with those women, they had always come around when he had went too far in the bottle and could not stop his natural urges from taking over. He could count on both hands the number of times he had slept with someone and could not even think of one time where something had crossed his real mind to attract him to them. Poking at the fire he stared into it lost in his thoughts.

Beth was different, being with her physically was only a side note to what he wanted. He wanted her, all of her, to be his. Her smile, her cute giggle, her sharp wit, her soft heart, and more recently her ferocity for life drew him towards her like a bear to honey. He needed to talk to her, as much as he hated the idea, he just was not good with words and he knew he would never be able to translate what he was feeling but he had to try. Hoping Beth would understand what he was getting at he got up and stamped out the fire and walked towards the officer's quarters they had chosen to use as their room.

The floor boards creaked softly underneath his feet as he walked in. Candles lit up the room and he heard splashing on the other side of the privacy shade. He guessed she was still in the bath. He had cleaned up himself earlier when she was gone and he felt way better because of it. Their beat up bags sat down at the foot of the old bed, so he walked over and pulled out a pair of gym shorts she had packed him from the house the night before. He laid them on the bed and kicked off his boots. He folded his dirty jeans and laid them next to his boots and socks on the floor then pulled the shorts on. He popped the buttons down the front of his shirt and pulled his vest and it from his shoulders draping them on the back of an old wooden chair in the corner. He heard a low giggle from behind the screen and it made him smile as he continued. The ratty t-shirt he was wearing underneath had once been dark gray but now it was faded and covered in stains and holes, he had long since cut the sleeves out of it. He tugged it over his head deciding he would change it out for one of the t-shirts from the gift shop to sleep in. It hit the floor and as he went to turn around he heard her voice cut through the silence.

"Wait" she whispered.

He froze, his back was towards her and he tensed at the realization. He did not like anyone seeing his back and even though Beth had seen it before back at her farm he was still uncomfortable. His ears perked as he listened to her pad lightly toward him and feeling her tiny hand land on his shoulder he sucked in a sharp breath. He clenched his fists when he felt her other hand trace down his back towards one of his scars. Then her soft open mouth kiss land on the raised skin, he heard her whispering lowly but could not make out what she was saying as she trailed to the next mark and planted the same open mouth kiss on it. Loosing his fists he felt the scars begin to burn gently like they had when they were healing all those years ago. His shoulders went slack as a tear escaped his eyes and she continued he ministrations, he felt his chest constrict as suddenly a weight lifted from him. Reaching the last of the marks on his shoulder in the shape of a cross she traced her finger across them then planted her kiss in the middle, her lips brushed softly against his skin as her heard her say "Amen".

He heard her step away and the burning scars on his back stopped all at once. He searched for that familiar feeling of anger and hurt but it did not come. His shoulders straitened and he rolled them, the tension he had carried for years was gone. He let out the breath he did not realize he was still holding and smiled. Suddenly the last of the shit from his past was gone; Burned away, finishing the job started back at the moonshine shack.

XXX

Daryl stayed facing the wall until his tears dried. Everything he had come in to tell Beth had just been cemented a hundred times over, she had healed the still open wounds on his back and he felt like his life was finally allowed to start. He could hear her padding around the little room, cleaning up from her bath, and he assumed giving him space after the emotional moment.

When he turned around she was leaning against the door jamb watching the rain that had just started to fall, and he was instantly rooted to the spot. There across her delicate back was a pair of sheer angel wings. The pattern that was sewn into the fabric reminded him of his vest but much more detailed and soft as the light of the candles danced against it. Images from his dream of an angel Beth flooded his mind, even her golden blonde hair pulled in to the messy bun on her head reminded him of a halo. The wings fell down her back and spread out across the rounded top of her bottom, her long legs poured out from underneath the short gown and she had them crossed at the ankles.

Finding his footing he walked forward slowly taking in the ethereal scene in front of him, lightning tore through the sky and her form glowed briefly in the light. It stopped him in his tracks once again only a few feet away.

"You look like an angel" it tumbled from his lips before his brain even had a opportunity to catch up.

He watched as she jumped a little at the surprise of his voice but she turned to face him. A smile spread across her face and he let his eyes fall down her body. The cream-colored silk clung to her full breasts then flowing gently down around her waist it grazed the curve of her hips. Reluctantly he brought his eyes up to meet hers and a small blush spread across her cheeks.

"Beautiful" he whispered.

She closed the distance between them, she placed her hands on his stomach and traced the outline of his ab muscles. He shuddered but kept still as she drug her hands up his chest and finally hooking them around his neck. Standing on the tips of her toes she brought her lips toward his, she paused and he could feel her breath on him as she spoke.

"Kiss me" she said breathlessly.

He crashed his lips against hers, pouring all the emotion, all the things he needed and wanted to say into the kiss. Her lips parted beneath his and her small tongue slipped out flitting across his bottom lip. He grabbed her around the waist and drug her body closer to his, parting his lips and tangling his tongue with hers. Her hands began to roam down his shoulders and arms as she let out a tiny moan. He growled as he slid hand down the small of her back and grabbed a handful of her supple backside through the fabric. She moaned in earnest and pressed her breasts hard against his chest. He slid both of his hands down to the backs of her thighs and hoisted her into the air, her legs wrapped around his waist and he turned toward the bed.

They never broke the kiss and when he felt the edge of the bed against his shins he pulled away and gently laid her out in front of him. She shifted under his gaze, she looked shy and nervous but sure of herself all at once. The way the fabric fell now he could see the perfect outline of her body underneath, her pebbled nipples pushing against it and the soft V that sat at the apex of her thighs.

"Pull your hair down" he said in low slow drawl.

She propped gently on her elbow and tugged a ribbon from her hair, it fell gently down her shoulders then pooled around her as her head rested against the bed again. She was perfect. He felt his erection strain even harder against the fabric that confined it. He reached for the waistband of the shorts and looked over at her, she gave him a small nod and he pulled them down kicking them to the side. Watching her face, her eyes trailed down his body, he tensed as they dipped lower but he could not stop the smirk that took over his lips when her eyes flew wide then turned carnal.

He walked forward and knelt on the bed between her legs. She moaned and he trailed his hands up from her ankles to her thighs, entranced as they disappeared beneath the silk hem. A hard breath caught in his throat when he realized she had on nothing underneath. A mischievous smile pulled across her face until he found the apex of her thighs and it went ashen. He ran his thumb slowly up her slick sensitive lips stopping to trace languid circles around her bundle of nerves. She began to pant beneath his touch and he moved his other hand down positioning a finger at her opening. Sliding his finger inside her he watched her face as her breath caught, he moved it inside her slowly before another one joined it. Hands knotted into the covers on either side of him as the back of her head dug into the mattress. A long loud moan filled the air and he felt her clench around his fingers, and he slid them out.

He moved forward and positioned himself between her thighs his hard length pressing against the wetness between them, looking up he locked his eyes with hers. Bending down he found her lips with his and pushed into her as they met. She froze beneath him as he finished sheathing himself and he felt a thin pressure and then a soft pop inside her. One tear escaped down her cheek and he kissed it away giving her time to adjust to the feeling of him filling her. She kept her eyes shut tightly for a moment before she began to move underneath him. He kissed her again, starting a slow rhythm with her. Being in her was unlike anything he had ever physically experienced, she was slick and impossibly tight as he moved against her. He was consumed, the entire world had just stopped and all that existed was her and him. He bent and kissed her soundly.

Rolling over he pulled her with him balancing her on top of him as he sank into the mattress. He ran his hands up her thighs pushing the silk up her skin, revealing it to him inch by inch as he went. She leaned forward raising her arms as he pulled it from her completely, it landed with a flutter on the bed beside them. He reached forward and took her full breasts into his hands, and they filled them with still more left over. Running his thumbs across her nipples he growled and she sighed. She began to rock her hips more aggressively, grinding on him and he felt how deep he was inside her, he would not last much longer. Her breathing and moans increased with her pace and he could feel his becoming ragged with every thrust.

"Beth, you feel so good" he breathed.

Her walls clamped down hard around him and she threw her head back screaming his name. His orgasm crashed over him at the sound and he spilled himself inside her. She began to shake on top of him and he eased her to lay by his side, draping his arm across her stomach he smiled.

XXX


	7. Chapter 7

**Again Thank You everyone for your great reviews! Also Thank you to those who like and follow! :)**

**I apologize that this Chapter is a bit shorter. Its kind of a filler chapter I'm afraid. They have a little more than a week left at the fort together so I figured I would let them have some "honeymoon" time. I sat down today and finished plot pointing the rest of the story, so I know where we are headed now, yay! I hope you enjoy!**

Coherent thought finally began to return to Beth and she rolled over to face Daryl. She rested her head on his chest, tracing the outline of his stomach muscles as he lightly brushed his hands up and down her side.

"That was...why didn't we do this sooner" she said in a voice a little more high-pitched than she had intended.

Her head bobbed up and down as a laugh shook his chest, then he went still again.

"Beth" he said somberly.

She froze, fearing he regretted what had just happened between them. "Hmmm" she breathed out.

"When you were, doing, what you did to my back. Were you...praying" the last word came out in a tight whisper.

Her mind stopped, she had not expected he would bring that moment up. She thought it would be something that passed silently between them, only to be brought up in memories.

"Yeah. I was. I know it seems stupid but I believe there is still someone up there listening" she answered.

He took a few deep breaths and she guessed he was thinking over her answer.

"What'd you say" he said in his soft low drawl.

She cleared her throat and propped on her elbow to look in his eyes. "I asked him to burn away the shame and anger, just like back at the moonshine cabin. I asked him to let my kisses replace the pain with love" she said with a soft warmth in her voice.

He squeezed his eyes shut and she watched a tear roll down his cheek. She did not move, she just let her hand rest on his chest and watched as the silent emotions passed underneath his eyelids. A few moments went by before his eyes fluttered open red rimmed and shinning.

"Yeah I do" he said.

"You do what" she asked genuinely confused.

"I do believe in soul mates" he answered as he pulled her down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.

XXX

Beth woke before Daryl, stirring gently by his side she felt a tiny discomfort between here thighs. A wide smile stretched across her face remembering the night before, they had stayed up to talk for a while after his confession. She told to him everything she had felt over the last few weeks and was surprised to find that he had felt the same way but suspected she was only interested in him physically. Beth had laughed uncontrollably at the thought only stopping when she realized he had been serious. Once she assured him that was the furthest thing from the truth they sealed everything with a kiss before she drifted off into a blissful sleep. They had not exchanged 'I Love You's but she supposed that would come naturally with time.

She rolled off the bed and padded toward her new clothes. Picking out some jeans and a shirt she ducked behind the privacy screen and grabbed a new bra and matching panties. She slid on her outfit noting that the red top was much tighter and lower cut then anything she had ever worn before. The room was still quiet so she slid out the door into the early morning light. The sun was barely up but you could see the steam rising off the stone walkway still wet from the rain during the night. She decided to walk around and explore the place a bit more now that they were settled inside with the draw bridge closed. Enjoying the peace she walked slowly, peering into all the rooms and taking note of things that could be useful. She reached the corner and a brick wall concealing stairs to the top of the fort was in front of her, she noticed something scratched into the surface. Stepping forward she reached out and ran her fingers across the letters. It was a name and a date, Charles H. M. Smith 1861, in prim writing. She looked around and realized the wall was covered in them, all sorts of names and dates all the way through the thirties. It was hauntingly beautiful, just like at the mortuary. It was a reminder that even though a war had raged here and people had done horrible things, they had just been normal people before it all happened. Just like the walkers, just like her, and just like Daryl. She pulled her knife out and found an empty brick. Concentration knit her brows together and her tongue stuck out as she worked. She stepped back admiring her graffiti, etched in shaky looking scrawl read 'Beth and Daryl, Lord Only Knows When But We Are Still Here'.

She did a lap around the place before she decided to head back toward their room. Pushing the door open she heard his low grumble as the old hinges creaked. Beth kicked her boots back off and headed toward the bed. Peaking out from the sheet was the top of Daryl's behind, forcing back a giggle she slid into the bed. For the first time since before the farm fell she missed having a cell phone, this was a photo opportunity if she had ever seen one. She slipped her hand down his back and watched as the tips of her fingers disappeared beneath the sheet, biting her lip she squeezed. The giggle seeped out and turned into a full-blown laugh as he flipped around to face her pulling the sheet with him, covering himself with feigned modesty.

"Time t'get up sleepy head" she laughed.

Throwing the sheet away he grabbed her around the waist and drew her towards him, she felt his nose burrow into her hair and heard him take a deep breath. She smiled as he kissed the top of her head before flipping her around to face him.

"G'morning" he said gruffly.

"Morning" she hummed leaning forward and planting a kiss on his lips.

His hands fisted in her hair and she sighed. Before she knew what was happening her pretty red top was in a heap on the floor, and they spent the rest of the morning thoroughly preoccupied.

XXX

"I was thinkin' maybe we should pick back up some of your training while we're here" he said as he pulled his worn out jeans on his hips.

"Sounds good to me! I was thinking maybe some fight training, I know next to nothing about what to do in that sort of situation" she responded, "If I hadn't found that tire iron I would have never been able to get away that day".

He did not respond. This was the first time she had offered any information about how she had escaped the man who had taken her. Daryl just let the silence hang as he slid on his shirt and vest.

"Sorry, I forgot I hadn't told you anything about that yet" she sounded awkward.

"S'okay. Figured you'd tell me if ya wanted too, and it didn't matter if ya didn't" he responded.

He watched as a smile lit up her face and he could not help it when his did the same.

"I'll tell ya the whole thing while we eat, deal" she asked.

"Deal" he said.

They started a new fire in the pit under the big tree in the middle of the fort and put a couple of cans of corn on it to warm. She talked as they ate and he absorbed all the details of her ordeal. From what he could tell she handled it better than most people would have and he was overwhelming proud of the things she had done to survive and to save their family from Terminus. He flinched every time she mentioned seeing his face, it felt ridiculous for her to attribute any of her success to him.

Once they finished he went and filled a couple of the buckets with water from the river and brought them back to the fire. He wanted them to boil while they were training so they would have fresh water to drink when they were finished. Beth had ducked back into the room mumbling something about not wanting to sweat in her new clothes and came back in the sweat pants and ratty shirt from the turquoise house.

"Ready" he asked.

She nodded as they walked into the open field in the center of the fort. He corrected her stance and taught her some basic punches and blocks. They ran the drills over and over again until she was moving through them without even having to think about it. She had a short petite frame and strength was never going to be her advantage, but she was quick. Giving her moves that utilized that was his best bet at teaching her something that would actually win her a fight.

So the next time she kicked out he grabbed her around the ankle.

"Hey" she grunted trying to pull her foot out of his grip.

"Listen, ya aint really all that strong, yer to small. So we need ya to be fast. You can do a couple moves that I can't 'cause of it. So listen" he explained.

He taught her how to use leverage and agility to jump up and take her opponents back, locking them in a choke hold. She mastered it after only a few rounds so he moved on the next one. Showing her where to place her foot, he let her bring him to his knees before showing her where to step to make it around him out of his grasp, once she was behind him he told her to step forward. She came up close to him and he told her to wrap her hands around his head, one under his chin, one across the back of his head facing opposite directions.

"If ya twist hard and fast you'd break my neck" he said.

Her hands fell from his head and he listened to her take a few steps backwards. Standing up he turned in time to see her drop her head in her hands. He quickly made his way to her side.

"Ya okay" he asked concern laced in his tone.

"I'm fine, just forgot for a minute that this was about killing people" she responded heavily.

"Emmm" he grunted.

She looked up at him blue eyes shinning in the sun light "Sorry, I know it's unavoidable, It's not like I haven't done it before. Guess im just still waiting on those good people to show up".

"Me too" he grumbled "s'go take a break".

XXX

Beth was exhausted. They spent the afternoon training, and between the sun and sweat she was completely spent. She washed off quickly, throwing on one of the oversize t-shirts from the gift shop before sliding into bed. She was drifting off just as she caught sight of Daryl's wet and naked from walking towards the bed. Her eyes widened as she watched a drop of water roll down his chest picking up the light flicker from the candles before it slid down the line of his abs and disappeared into the V of his hips.

"Good Lord" she whispered without thinking.

He stopped mid stride, the towel in his hand ruffling through his hair taking it from dripping to damp. She sat up in the bed watching intensely. Is this what going to a strip club was like? Maggie had gone to one, her friends drug her to it for her twenty-first birthday not too long before all hell broke loose. She chewed on her bottom lip as he turned around to drape the towel over the privacy screen. His behind was in full view now and she realized just how muscular and shapely it was, she drug her eyes further down admiring the lean hard lines of his legs. He turned again and caught her gaze.

"See somethin' ya like, Greene" he growled as a smirk pulled across his lips.

She gulped as a deep burn settled in her belly, the exhaustion from earlier disappearing completely. Chewing on her lip even harder she nodded her head. Her eyes flew wide as moved forward, his eyes narrowed and for a moment she figured she knew what it felt like to be stalked by a wild cat. She leaned back as he crawled on to the end of the bed, up over her feet and legs until his body was covering hers, pinning her beneath him. His breath was hot against her ear, a chill ran down her spine as he purred out her name. She moaned and he closed his mouth on the lobe nipping gently before he moved to her neck. Sucking and kissing trailed down to her collar-bone and she could feel the pooling desire in her sex. His lips crashed against hers, she parted her lips and their tongues tangled together. She raked her hands down his back then up towards his shoulders again digging her nails in as he tugged her bottom lip with his teeth. Pushing him away she sat up enough to rip her shirt over her head, she needed to feel his slick hot flesh against her skin. He mumbled appreciatively as he took her nipple into his mouth sucking and licking deliciously while cupping her other breast in his hand and rolling his thumb across the taunt nub there. She sucked in a deep breath before his mouth met hers again. Lifting her hips she let him slid her underwear from her hips, tugging gently until she could pull her foot free. She spread her legs and felt his rock hard length press against her opening.

He leaned forward and she felt his breath against her ear again before she heard him whisper "So wet for me".

She blushed but felt an electric shock run down her body at his words, she sucked in a sharp breath and he buried himself inside her. The soreness dissipated immediately as he pushed and stretched her. She rolled her head back into the pillow and growled his name. He began to thrust into her and she picked up her hips to meet him with each one. Their hands roamed frantically over each other, his leaving trails of fire behind as he slid in and out of her tightness. She felt her climax building, winding her up inside. Her thoughts began to cloud over as he picked up the pace, her chest was heaving, and she could barely breath from the moans escaping her lips. He slammed into her hard and she felt a delectable bite deep inside, her eyes slammed shut and stars danced behind her lids as her body clenched down. His name flew from her lips in a ragged scream. She was frozen as the whole world fell away, pure pleasure rippled through her muscles and she began to tremble. Floating somewhere between time and space she felt him find his release.


	8. Chapter 8

Daryl could not believe how quick Beth was picking up what his was teaching her. They spent the last few days training only stopping to eat, sleep, and engage in their other new-found pass time. The physical intimacy between them was making the training easier and he found that now they anticipated one another's moves. It did not seem to matter if they were doing hand to hand combat training, knife skills, or working with his cross-bow it was beginning to feel as though they operated from one brain. She was still just a bit slower than him sometimes and not as strong but he suspected with enough practice fighting with her beside him would be like having an extension of his own body.

She was walking back towards him now with the bolts she had just plucked from the trunk of the tree they were using as a target, he bent to ready the cross-bow and without even having to look up or speak exactly what he needed was placed in to his hand as he needed it. He smiled as he stood back up handing her the heavy weapon.

"Gettin' good Greene" he said.

She pulled the strap over her head and settled the bow on her back as they turned to walk back to the fort. They crossed the parking lot in companionable silence and he noticed her hand resting on the hilt of her knife just as his was while they were out in the open. They crossed the little planks they built and picked them up, they stored them just out of sight once they were on the other side.

He closed the draw bridge behind them, since they would not be leaving again until they were making their return to the little house on the other side of the state. Waking up in the barley dark of early morning he had left Beth to her sleep and tracked a doe through the woods for only a few minutes before he took a shot and nailed it, leaving them with more than enough meat for the three or so days left. They let it roast over the fire while she got in some mid morning target practice and now they were going to settle in for a nice lunch in their room. It gave the sun time to pass over head before they got in some fight training that evening.

The old wooden chairs creaked in protest as they settled down at the little table with their plates. He licked his lips at the sweet smell of the meat and sank his teeth into a big bite, they meat fell apart melting in his mouth, sometimes you just got a good kill and the meat was perfectly tender, this was one of those times. Eating his fill and maybe a bit past he leaned back in the chair and rubbed his belly.

"Fuller 'an a tick on a hound dog's ear" he groaned.

Beth giggled across from him, "Me too" she said.

He sat quietly with his head back and his eyes closed for a while just enjoying the moment. Not many of these came around anymore, times when you were completely satisfied. Running over all the details in his mind he made a list to present to Rick, this seemed to him the best place for the family to try to start over. The walls were thick stone and mortar packed with earth protected by motes on its sides and a river to its back. It had taken cannon fire back in the civil war and the evidence was still visible on the outside but it was still standing. Daryl had been reading a book he grabbed from the information and history center just outside the fort and he figured between him and Glenn they could get a handle how to use the cannons and cannon balls. He hoped they would never have reason to defend themselves like that from an attack by the living again but it was better to be safe than sorry. Beth began to talk beside him pulling him from his thoughts and engaging him in a discussion about something that happened before the world went to shit.

XXX

The door slammed shut hard in Beth's face as she followed Daryl. She threw it back open, burying the handle into the wall with the strength of her anger, and stepped out behind him. They were shouting loudly at each other and she honestly could not remember what had started the fight. She threw another loud jab his way, digging desperately through her memory at what had sparked their disagreement. They had been talking about something stupid, some event that happened before the dead began to rise, and their opinions had differed vastly on the subject. Somehow it had spiraled out of control and now here they stood going at it tit for tat on the little stone path outside their room. Daryl spat out another nasty phrase at her and her blood surged hot in her veins.

Her hands slammed into her hips as she threw her foot hard on the ground, the muscles strained tight against the skin of her neck and she felt the yell rise through the back of her throat, "I aint NEVER met no one as stubborn as you"!

She watched as he froze then a huge smile overtook his face, he closed the gap between them quickly and pulled her harshly into his arms. Surprise washed over her face as his fingers came under her chin pointing her head to face him. She looked into his steel-blue eyes, mischief danced in them, she was about to ask what he was doing when his gruff tone broke the silence.

"Well who drinks this time, cause I aint never met no one as stubborn as you" he said.

A smile ripped across her face at the mention of their booze soaked night together and the game that had helped get them to their inebriated state. Daryl's lips came down hard against hers and pushed her thoughts from her head. There was a bruising force behind the kiss and Beth could tell he was channeling all the adrenalin that was still flowing freely in his veins from their tiff. She reached up knotting her fist in the collar of his shirt and yanked him hard against her meeting him with an equally fervent hunger. He spun them quickly around and slammed her against the wall outside their door. It was controlled enough not to hurt her but it let her know he was feeling the same wild animalistic need she was, telling her it was okay to let go and let the instinct take over. She reached into his hair and pulled down hard at the back of his head, her tongue darting out of her mouth as he groaned and she ran the tip up from his collar-bone to the hallow under his jaw. Her lips brushed against the spot briefly before she nipped at his flesh. He pulled his head free and her eyes met his, she could see the reflection of her wild expression in his bled out pupils. She heard his knife leave its sheath at his hip, sucking in a hard breath she caught the gleam of the metal in the mid afternoon sun. He stepped back and grabbed the him of her blouse and before she could protest the tip of his blade ripped a long line up her torso, exposing her breasts as he tore the fabric from her shoulders. She launched herself at him as he stepped back to replace his weapon, tackling him backwards into the grass she straddled his hips and pinned his wrist above his head.

"I liked that shirt you jerk" she growled just before slamming her lips to his.

Sitting back up she grabbed his shirt where the two panels met at the first button and tore it free, she watched as tiny white circles littered the green around him. She dipped her head quickly to his chest trailing open mouth kisses down his newly exposed midsection, stopping just below his belly button she drug her tongue across the two ridges that dipped into a V on his hips. A moan broke through her throat at the salty taste of sweat that attacked her tongue.

His ankle locked against hers and she braced herself for what she now knew was coming from all their training, he flipped her over his head and she landed on her back before springing quickly to her feet. She turned to face him as he found his footing and she smirked at him before she let out running across the field. His heavy foot falls sounded behind her, she knew he would catch her easily, and just as she reached the big tree she felt his strong arm wrap around her waist. He pulled her hard into him, the tight planes of his chest pressed seamlessly against her exposed back. Ragged breaths filled the air as his hands found her heaving breasts, he cupped them rolling her taunt nipples between his fingers as he bit down into her shoulder sucking hard. She felt the hot burn deep inside her roll into an inferno. One of his hands fell away and the sound of his heavy metal belt buckle being undone filled the air. She kicked her boots off and turned to face him as she pulled her jeans from her legs. His jeans were slung low and open on his hips his erect length pulled out from the split. Jumping she hooked her legs around his waist and she could feel the smooth hardness of him pressing through the lace of her soaked underwear. They stumbled a few steps backward and she groaned as the rough bark of the tree bit into her back. Reaching between them he pulled the thin fabric covering her slick opening to the side and slammed into her. The feeling of him stretching her flooded her senses and she buried her face into his neck biting and sucking as he picked up a punishing rhythm. Her nails nearly drew blood on his shoulders as she found her climax, pulling her mouth from his skin just long enough to scream his name as he came undone with her and her name joined his on the breeze.

XXX

Beth rolled her shoulders then pulled her arm across her body to stretch, she was sore from all the training and not training they had done. She giggled at the thought of their aborted training session the previous afternoon. It was the first time her and Daryl had fought since their relationship had progressed and it had frightened her at first how quickly it spun out of control. Somehow though when that phrase left her lips the mood shifted ending the spat much more pleasantly than she had expected. They cuddled the rest of the afternoon nuzzling and touching in the open air as they apologized to one another and he told her how thick her accent got when she was angry. She ran and brought them a blanket and they laid for a along time basking in the feeling of the warm rays on their naked skin. A rational conclusion to the argument was reached as the sun sank down behind the wall of the fort.

Today they were going to work on knife throwing and she was ecstatic, she found a natural knack for it. She shared the story of snagging the squirrel on the tree next to the trailer with Daryl when he brought up practicing it again the first time. He had not believed her and when he marked a white X on the tree next to the fire pit a competitiveness flared inside. He was pacing off his five steps to throw his own knife as she stepped forward un-sheathing her knife, the blade left her hand before she even realized what she was doing and she watched it soar over his shoulder a hairs breath from nicking his ear. A loud thwack vibrated the air as her knife landed bolt strait in the center of the target two seconds before his.

She had not managed to be quite so accurate after that but her margin was only a few inches in either direction, still in the proverbial kill zone. He deemed her natural talent impressive and today he was going to teach her the finer points of throwing multiple knives in succession. By his own admission he was not all that good at it but he knew the mechanics and with a little luck once the knowledge was transferred her given abilities would just take over.

Though she had not wanted him to go and after having her on words used against her, Daryl had went on a run later on that same afternoon and raided a tactical training center about five miles away. When he returned that night he told her he found exactly what he wanted but never showed her the loot so to speak. She paced off her five steps from the tree dragging the toe of her boot in the dirt marking her throw line when she caught sight of him walking towards her with something black rolled up in his hand.

"Hold yer right leg out" he said as he knelt in front of her.

He unrolled the heavy fabric bundle in his hand and slid it over her ankle past her knee and settled it on her upper thigh. He tightened the buckles around the back and tugged on it in all directions before smiling and standing to face her. She looked down and saw the silver handles of five knives looping around her leg. Brushing her fingers across the metal she smiled widely before tilting her head back up to meet his.

"Thank You" she said excitedly "These are awesome".

He laughed, rolling his eyes he turned her by the shoulders to face the target. She listened carefully as he explained the basic principles, reminding her not to hesitate and to keep her wrist straight. Once he finished he stepped back and swept his arm out in front of him motioning for her to go ahead. She took a deep breath, taking one step back, then one at forty-five degrees. The first knife slid easily from the sheath on her thigh and with his words echoing in her head she quickly swung the blade up past her ear while stepping out and forward she loosed it as it came horizontal across her body and she watched it spin through the air for only a second before she tugged the next knife out while stepping back. She repeated the process over again five times without thinking before she followed the path of the last blade toward the tree. Her eyes flew wide as the crack rang through the silence. There sticking out from where their tips touched were all five knives in the center of the big X.

Daryl's loud appreciative whistle broke her revere and she blinked rapidly as she reconciled with the sight. A wild grin overtook her face as she half ran half danced forward to collect the shiny silver from the tree. Working them free from their deep lodging inside the trunk she heard him come up behind her, she sheathed the last one and turned to face him.

"Well Greene" he smirked "Looks like we just found your signature weapon".


	9. Chapter 9

He shifted uncomfortably in the seat of the car squinting into the darkness of the bandana around his eyes trying to figure out where Beth was taking them. She had woken him up bouncing on the bed, cheering loudly about having a surprise for him. At first he thought it would be a black lacy surprise like a few nights before and his body had immediately stood at attention but she was back in her old jeans, tank top, and boots with her knifes strapped on her belt and thigh. He had begrudgingly agreed to go with her even though he did not see the point in leaving the fort until the next morning when they planned to head out back towards their family. Once they had settled in the car she had snaked his bandana and blindfolded him with it.

Now he could feel her speeding down the road while Aerosmith played lowly in the speakers. She slowed down and took a left turn in to what he guessed was a parking lot, they crept forward slowly until he felt them come to a stop.

"Stay here" she said.

He grunted in protest but knew she would not do anything too stupid so he fought his better judgement and stilled himself in the seat. The driver's door opened with a creak and he could hear the sound of her pulling the knife from the sheath at her hip. He fidgeted now clenching his hands in fists to keep from yanking off the blindfold to dispatch the walkers she was no doubt after. Her smile floating in his mind was the only thing keeping him in this little game, he could not take the look of disappointment she would wear if he were to ruin her surprise. So he waited, straining his ears to make sure she did not call out for his help. He heard her tiny foot falls outside his door, then the sound of it being opened, and finally the touch of her hands on his shoulders guiding him to his feet. They shuffled a few steps to the end of the car, then backward a bit before she stopped him.

"Okay" she said pride and excitement filling her voice.

Daryl reached up and removed the worn fabric from his eyes, he blinked a few times before his eyes focused in the sun light. In front of him a big orange sign he was all too familiar with, Harley Davidson. While him and Merle had always kept less expensive bikes for themselves it did not mean he had not always admired them, and hell on one occasion stolen one for a joy ride with his brother. He smiled to himself at finding memories of Merle no longer hurt as much, like he was a kid when they had happened and looking back as an adult they were just a good story, which was more or less the truth. Beth's pursed lips met his cheek and the smile covered his face in earnest as she began to talk.

"I figured we could get a couple of bikes and ditch the car. Get more miles out of the gas so we wont have to stop on the way back" she said, joy still filling her tone. "Plus I thought you might like having one again, I know they aint the same kind but I thought you might like 'em anyway" the last part squeaked out a bit apologetically.

He nodded as he turned to face her "I think its a great idea. But bikes, like two of 'em? I can't drive more than one at a time".

Her eyes squinted back at his sarcastic remark and then she smirked. "I can ride, believe it or not. You don't know all my secrets Daryl Dixon" she said.

He snorted. "Who in the world taught you to ride" he asked still skeptical. Up until recently the tiny blonde would not exactly strike someone as the type to ride a motorcycle.

"Shawn" she said matter of fact.

He had never met Shawn, he had turned before they had gotten to the Greene farm. A small frown crept over his features and he felt bad for making her bring up the memory when he knew it would hurt her, even if she was use to the pain by now. He wanted to keep from chasing that trail and changing the mood so he reached over and clapped her on the shoulder.

"Alright then Greene, lets pick one out and see what ya got" he said.

Grabbing his cross-bow from the back seat they approached the store quietly, Beth had taken down the two walkers that were milling around the parking lot but he suspected there may be more inside since the sliding doors were open. He went in first with he bow up and loaded, she was covering his back and he felt more confident with her there than he even did with Rick. Rick was more experienced to be sure, but he was also too independent and tended to act of his own accord rather than thinking for the both of them. Beth was the exact opposite, every move she made, every decision was based own their mutual well-being. Maybe it was her now emotional attachment to him, but he doubted that is what made it so easy to work with her. When he finally realized that he thought of Beth as his soul mate he never thought that it would extend into the way they fought together, but the more he had trained her, learned her movements and nuances the more he realized she was made for him in that aspect too. She was truly his other half in everything.

Just as he rounded the corner a door flew open and caught him hard across the side of the head, he flew backwards against the wall sinking to the floor as cloudiness blurred his vision. He watched as Beth spun around quickly, her eyes locking with his for only a second before she was back focused on the walkers scrambling towards them. A loud tumble of snarls filled the air as he watched her move forward, sinking her knife in the foreheads of the first two walkers in line. She shoved them backwards, their dead weight causing the others to stumble as she threw one of her other knives and it sank cleanly in the side of another walkers head. His vision was evening back out and he pushed himself to his feet. Pushing off from the wall he loosed a bolt from the cross-bow and watched as it slid through the eye of the one of them right as one of Beth's knives hit the one beside it.

"Nice" she shouted.

Now she backed up beside him, he slung the cross-bow around his back and unsheathed the blade at his hip. There were four walkers left, stumbling towards them over the bodies of the ones they had already dispatched. In sync they stepped forward, taking the first two in turn, sinking their weapons in to the hilt between the eyes of the undead. He pulled his from the skull with a sucking wet pop, and pushed past to make quick work of the other. Turning around he was frozen in fear, the last walker slammed into Beth's side just as she pulled her stubborn knife from the others skull and knocked her to the ground, landing with its full weight on top of her. She did not scream or squirm, she bucked hard underneath it reaching her arm back nearly overextending it for the knife that had been knocked from her hand. The rotting mouth was closing in on her neck when her loud grunt ripped through the air, the shiny tip of her silver blade poked through the other side of its head just in time.

He fell to his knees, paralyzed by fear and relief all at once. The sound of his knife clattering to the floor barely registered in his thoughts as he watched her push the body off of her. Everything that had happened to them, to him in the last months flooded his senses, hot tears pooled at the rims of his eyes. He could have just lost her, again. He thought nothing would ever hurt as much as his heart did that night running after the car that took her, but he was wrong. More hurt had washed over him with the fear from a moment ago then he had ever experienced in his entire life. All they had between them had almost come to an end before it even had a chance to truly begin. On some level he had known it was possible, probable even that they would end up in this situation at some point, but he never thought it would be so soon. This life was short, it was unpredictable, and it was terrifying. Suddenly he was overcome with the feeling that what they had shared so far was not enough, that he needed to fit in as much of her as he could while he had the chance. He needed to know that if next time her knife was not fast enough or his bolt missed that the other is left fulfilled. He wants to be left with ever memory of her he can get, and her with him. All the stuff he wanted to think they had time for was now urgent, there was no time to lose, if he did not do them now he may never get the chance again.

"Daryl" it came out like a question, panic laced in her voice.

She knelt if front of him, her hands flying frantically over him as she checked for injuries, he blinked away the tears and took her face in his hands.

"I Love You" he said with a deep gravel in his voice, surprising even himself as the words poured out.

Shock washed over her face but was immediately replaced with a soft blush and a warm smile. He ran his thumbs over her pink cheeks.

"I love you too" she breathed shuttering under his touch.

"Marry me" the words flew off his tongue quickly before his brain even registered it. It sounded almost harsh in his low growling tone, but it was laced with the frenzy pounding in his head.

She blinked a few times, then stared in his eyes reading the emotions he so often hid there. He let them dance freely in them now knowing that she would find the answers she was looking for there easier than he could express with words. He stared back into hers losing himself in the blue depths, then like he knew it would recognition filled them.

"Yes" she said, unwavering.

He pulled her to him, crashing his lips against hers in a deep kiss. Their tongues tangled together as the planes of her body melted in to his. She sighed and he pulled away resting his forehead to hers.

"I'm so happy" she purred.

"Me too" he responded.

XXX

A smiled was plastered to Beth's face as she thumbed through the racks of clothing in the back of the store. Her cheeks were beginning to ache but every time she tried straightening them out the scene from a few minutes before played across her mind and her smile would tug them back up under her eyes. The proposal had rocked her, she never imagined he would ever ask her that question, especially not so soon, but when she looked in his eyes she saw the fear, the hurt, and the resolve. She could read him too well now not to see the understanding that their time was short and he wanted to make the most of what they had, and she could not agree more.

They did not linger long afterwards, she knew he would feel uncomfortable after allowing himself so much vulnerability so she had broken their embrace and tugged him along back toward their original quest. She had picked out a beautiful white bike with a pearl finish, the shield and bar emblems painted on the sides flowed out to beautiful pinstriped wings. It reminded her of the lingerie she had worn that night the were first together. He had chosen a menacing looking black bike with screaming skulls followed by trails of silver flame painted on the tank, they were going to look like quiet the pair. The angel and the devil. She chuckled at the thought, if only people knew.

She picked up a couple of new pairs of jeans, a few brand t-shirts, a leather riding jacket, a new pair of boots, and a leather halter top. There were changing rooms on the other side of the rack and she figured they would be as good a place as any to ditch her dirty old clothes for the new ones. The doors were not full length so she peered under to make sure a stray walker was not lurking inside and when she did not see any shuffling feet she pulled the door open and walked in. She unburdened her hands by placing all her stuff on to then bench. Kicking her old worn out boots off, she made quick work of skimming out of her old jeans and tank. She turned side to side in the mirror admiring her new undergarments for the first time, Daryl had admired them plenty by now but with no mirror at the fort she had yet to get a turn. She remembered the way he damn near choked when she walked out in her lace garter belt and bra with the sheer stockings pinned at her thighs a few nights ago. He had asked her to stand there for a while as he took in the sight, committing it to memory he said. She smiled even harder at the memory as she pulled on a pair of the new jeans, they were skin-tight, and she was pretty sure painting them on would have been less revealing. Debating over a t-shirt or the halter top she slipped on the new boots, she laced them up and rocked back and forth, they were stiff but comfortable. How beautiful the weather was made her mind up for her and she unsnapped her bra, sliding the halter top over her head. It was cut into a deep V and you could see the sides of her breasts spilling into the middle, it rode up above the curve of her hip and left a gap of skin about an inch wide between the bottom seam and the top of her jeans. She thread her belt through the loops of the jeans settling her knife on her hip, then she reached down and secured her throwing knives to the opposite thigh in their black holster. Stepping back she turned to check her backside in the mirror, a stupid habit from long ago triggered by the once common act of being in a dressing room. That is when she caught sight of it between her shoulder blades just below the base of her neck, something long since forgotten. The peach tattoo she had snuck across the line to Alabama to get on her seventeenth birthday, back when that was the hight of crazy for her. It rippled with her muscles as she moved to get a better look at it, it was still pretty just like she remembered crisp clean outline with vibrant colors on the inside. She could not believe she had forgotten it was there, it had been such a big deal to her at the time, but so much happened in the years after she got it that she guessed her brain never had time to store it.

She loaded the saddle bags on her bike with all her new clothes as she waited for Daryl. He had not seen her yet but she had watched as he ducked into the men's fitting room on the other side of the store with new shirts, jeans, and boots like her. His wings vest was draped over the what was now his bike next to hers, and he had strapped two small gas tanks against the back rest on the back of each one after filling their tanks. She twirled her hair up in a bun and secured it with a leather cover she found in the women's section, hopefully it would help to not tangle while they rode. Growing impatient she flung her leg over and straddled her bike pushing it up off the kick stand and balancing it between her legs. It was a good bike, solid and almost to big for her, but it was going to ride like a dream. It would handle better that the old rebuilt Sportster Shawn had taught her on, much to her momma's chagrin. A little pain pierced her heart at the memory, her daddy's smiling face and her mom's frown as they watched from the rocking chairs on the porch filled her mind. She smiled anyway, that had been a happy time, but here and now was happy too.

Daryl cleared his throat behind her and she turned her head. He was wearing black square toe boots, light wash jeans that were pre-ripped, a tight black t-shirt, and a new leather riding jacket cut to more form-fitting than his old one. She swallowed and her mouth suddenly went dry, he had always been attractive, rough and manly, but this was a sight to behold. He was down right walking sex. She could feel her mouth hanging open but was powerless to close it as he walked toward her.

His index finger pressed under her chin closing her gaping lips "Catching files" he smirked.

"Fucking seriously, you look like a male model! How am I supposed to compete with all that hotness" she said dragging her hand up and down through the air for dramatic effect.

He blushed at her words, grunting in derision as he turned to load his saddle bags. He was coming around the back of his bike when he stopped and quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Is that" he said as he walked forward. Then she felt his fingers on her back "Is that ink, do you have a tattoo"?

"Yeah, got it when I was seventeen. Right before everything started happening" she responded "Georgia Peach, didn't know what else to get".

The familiar fire started to pool in her belly as he traced over the outline and she heard his familiar low growl.

"Straddling a bike, wearing a tiny leather top, and the pretty little peach inked on yer back. Well hot doesn't even begin to cover that" his deep slow drawl hung in the air as he finished.

A wet kiss fell on the back of her neck and his hand wrapped around her dipping into the deep V of her top, he cupped her bare breast gently squeezing as he whispered against her ear "Race ya back".

Just like that he was gone leaving behind a tingle on her skin as he straddled his own bike. She shook her head pulling her self from the daze of his affections and turned the key on the top of the tank. Both of the bikes roared to life, vibrating the walls of the dealership, he pulled away first gliding slowly out the open glass doors, she followed quickly behind him. Soon they were on the long stretch of two lane road back to the fort, each taking turns pulling ahead of the other as the engines rumbled beneath them.

XXX

She was laying draped naked over his body, her back pressed against his chest as they both panted trying to catch their breath. There were clothes and boots strewn from their bikes all the way to the edge of the bed. The smell of exhaust and leather still hung heavy in her nostrils, but now it was joined by sweat and sex. They had driven across the plank bridge and parked their bikes inside hurriedly, barely getting the draw bridge closed before they were attacking each other, the adrenaline from the store attack, the emotions from what had come of it, mixed with the thrill of riding and the new-found attraction of his attire and her tattoo driving them crazy with want. Climax had found them at the same time and he had fallen back on to the bed, his strong arm wrapped tightly around her waist dragging her with him in the aftermath.

"Daryl" she said as her mind began to settle and drift.

"Hmmm" he answered.

"You know there aren't really any pastors anymore" she mused.

"Okay" he said with confusion.

"We can't get a marriage license either, and my daddy aint around to do a ceremony like he did with Glenn and Maggie" she was thinking out loud now.

"M'sorry bout that" he responded sadness in his voice.

"S'okay im not upset about it, im glad he got to do that for her. I was just thinking, how are we gonna get married" she asked.

Silence stretched between them for a few minutes, both of them thinking, mulling over options in their head. He shifted her off him gently and she turned to face him.

"I wanna be your husband" he said "Do you wanna be my wife"?

"Of course" she answered without hesitation.

"Then we're married. We know, and whoever is up there still listening" he pointed toward the sky "they know. So as far as im concerned, its done".

She smiled and nodded, it was plain and simple to him, she loved it. He reached over and pulled her into a long slow kiss cementing their commitment. She pulled away and snuggled into his chest, closing her eyes she inhaled, committing the moment to memory. Out of no where the idea hit her and she sprang backward and off the edge of the bed. She wrapped the sheet around her and tossed him his boxers before bending down to free his knife from his crumpled jeans.

"Come on" she threw the words over her shoulder as she skipped out the door.

He trailed behind her as she made her way down the covered stone walkway all the way to the end. She stopped at the brick wall with all the names carved in it and scanned until she found where she had placed her and Daryl's names. She crouched down and began digging the knife across the brick again, red dust falling to the ground.

"What're ya doing Greene" he asked.

She finished then stood up and turned toward him with a proud smile on her face "Cant call me that anymore".

She stepped beside him and pointed, etched there forever in her scrawl read Beth and Daryl Dixon, Lord Only Knows When but We Are Still Here.


	10. Chapter 10

**The story just seemed to keep flowing today, so I kept writing. I hope everyone enjoys the new chapters, things actually happened and we are back to moving the story forward. Rick's POV makes an appearance in this one. I could not stop the nagging feeling that he was the best to express the scene through, I hope its not terrible and I have no idea if it will make a return.**

**Please continue with your reviews, they are so encouraging and I love hearing your feedback. Thank you to everyone who takes time out of their day to read my little story, its an honor. :)**

Daryl smiled as she flew past him, pieces of her blonde hair long since escaped from their tie whipping in the wind. He could not think of a single time in all his life he had been this happy. He rolled the throttle in his right hand and the bike sped up, the engine roaring and rumbling beneath him. Riding was like pure freedom, nothing but you, the power under your hands, and the road. He had always loved it, and now riding with Beth was bliss, watching the tiny blonde whip around on the almost too big bike with a huge smile painted on her face was all most too much to handle.

He had woken up in the middle of the previous night completely panicked, sitting bolt up right in bed he had wanted to run. The weight of everything he had promised her, being married to her rattling his brain with fear. He had to take a few settling breaths before he looked over at her sleeping form, naked and curled against the spot he had just occupied. Her blonde hair cascading across the pillow and a soft smile still on her face. His heart melted, all the voices in his head shutting down in an instant. What he said was right, he did love her, and being her husband was nothing to be scared of, it was an honor that someone as amazing as her trusted him with her love. He settled back in his spot and pulled her to his chest, and drifted back to sleep and she snuggled into his side. She had woken him up that morning by placing a small kiss to his lips and whispering 'Good Morning Mr. Dixon'. A wide smile had stretched across his face as he whispered back 'Morning Mrs. Dixon', and it had stayed there for the rest of the day.

They were closing in on the little house where everyone was supposed to meet, only five or so miles out by now. He pulled ahead and motioned for her to slow down, he wanted to watch their surroundings as they got closer, make sure there were no threats lurking around human or otherwise. Pulling up to a cross-road he stopped, letting the bike idle underneath him, just listening before they made the right hand turn on the street the little house sat on. A scream pierced through the air from the other direction and his head snapped up, Beth looked quickly toward him and he nodded. They both peeled off in that direction, worried it was one of their own in trouble. As they got closer they saw a small heard, twenty or so walkers stumbling with increasing speed toward a woman trying to run from them while dragging an injured older man along with her.

They stopped their bikes at the same time, kicking their stands down in unison, then simultaneously swinging their legs over the tanks they pulled their weapons into their hands and ran toward the advancing hoard.

XXX

A scream tore through the silence and everyone looked at each other before running through the trees towards the sound. Rick, Michonne, and Carl had met up with Glenn, Maggie, and Tara in their trek back toward the house and had continued on together since. Just before they reached the tree line he heard the roar of engines on the road, he threw his hand up to stop everyone. He did not know who was on the road and was not willing to walk his family back in to the hands of unknown people. He crept forward until the road was visible from his cover.

He watched as Daryl and Beth dismounted from the two motorcycles in fluid synchronized movements. Beth reaching toward a holster on her thigh and Daryl raising his cross-bow in the air. His first instinct was to motion everyone forward to help them but as he watched Beth whip a silver knife from its holster and fall in next to Daryl his interest piqued. They jogged forward a few more steps before the stopped, a knife and a bolt soaring through the air finding their side by side targets at the same time. He watched as they repeated the process five times over, taking out half the walkers before the were even five feet away. Beth pulled the knife at her hip as Daryl did the same, sinking in to the advancing heard with their backs pressed together.

Rick watched as they circled around stabbing, kicking, and slashing their way through the snarling bodies. Beth's long hunting knife stuck deep into a large walkers skull, and he held his breath his hand flying to the pistol on his hip as the next one pushed toward her. She kicked it hard in the stomach and as it stumbled backwards, he watched her drop to the ground reaching blindly behind her she found Daryl's ankle and pulled the tiny knife he always strapped there from under his jeans. She shot up just as the walker lunged toward her, catching it by the shoulders she slammed it into the ground and shoved the knife deep in its rotting eye. Daryl turned quickly hauling her up with one arm as he pulled his cross-bow free of his back with the other, Beth twirled under his hand grabbing the cross-bow as she went then she loosed a bolt and it sank in between the eyes of the last walker as Daryl pulled his knife from the one before it.

Rick smirked, nodding appreciatively at everyone now gathered beside him to watch. Beth began plucking her knives from her now crumpled targets, wiping them clean on the torn clothing of the dead before sheathing them back on her thigh. She plucked Daryl's bolts as she went as well, gathering them in to one had as he worked to free her still stubborn hunting knife. He had just finished wiping it clean when the young woman rushed towards him, she threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. Rick laughed in earnest at the bewildered expression on Daryl's face before he threw his hands straight in the air. Beth plucked the last bolt and turned around just in time to see the end of the whole scene, the woman's back was to her and Rick watched anger flare in her cheeks as the bolts clattered to the ground.

She took three big strides forward reaching her hand out and clamping it hard on the woman's shoulder as she yelled "Get your hands off my husband"!

Beth had not quite finished the sentence when the woman spun around in a panic from the hard grip on her shoulder and fired her gun. Daryl had managed to knock it from her hands as it went off and the bullet grazed Beth's bicep before it spiraled through the distance. The woman froze with fear at the sound, the anger flared impossibly harder in Beth's face as she looked down at the wound. Everyone was running from the treeline then and they made it to the road just in time to hear he wild cry.

"YOU SHOT ME" her voice ripped through the air in with ear piercing venom.

Before Daryl could stop her Beth clocked the girl with a hard left hook and she fell to the ground unconscious.

Silence settled for only a moment before Maggie's voice broke through "Husband" she spat accusingly.

Rick rolled his eyes as Daryl and Beth registered their presence. He took in the sight of the two; clad in leather, strapped with weapons, breathing heavily, and one of them bleeding freely. It was certainly something to see he thought, as he felt Maggie brush past his shoulder. His eyes met Daryl's over her head and he shrugged, he hoped his brother knew what he had gotten himself in to. He was sure he had no clue, as Beth jumped in front of him to fend off the advancing sister.

XXX

She did not feel like fighting with Maggie at the moment, her knuckles stung and blood was flowing freely down her arm. The bullet wound burned and sharp shivers of pain were shooting up her neck as her sister got closer. She stepped in front of Daryl blocking the advance currently trained on him.

"Back off Maggie, I don't want to hit anyone else today" she said exasperated.

Maggie stopped at her words, her own anger flaring on her face but Beth did not wilt under her gaze. Adrenaline still pulsing through her veins she took another step forward meeting her sister, their chests almost pressed together as she waited for her to speak.

"What the hell do you mean Husband? Are you...did you have sex with my baby sister" she yelled the question over Beth's shoulder.

"Not that it is ANY of your business but yes, WE had sex" Beth spat back at her, drawing Maggie's attention back to her face. "It was just as much me as him, and when he asked me to marry him I said yes, which is also my choice" she let it seep out of her dripping with menace as she stuck her finger in her big sister's face.

Maggie pulled away a bit, bitter calmness in her voice as she spoke "I'm NOT okay with this".

Beth matched her tone as she dropped her hand "I don't care" she responded.

She glanced over Maggie's shoulder at Glenn who was lingering helplessly behind, then over to Rick and the rest of the group.

"Anyone else have something to say" she asked loudly. Everyone shook their heads no, and she noted the wry smile on Rick's face. "Good, now can we please get back to the house where hopefully Bob is waiting and can stitch up my arm" she turned on her heel and headed toward her bike. She stopped to pick up the pile of bolts she dropped, a few steps later she slammed them against Daryl's chest then tugging on his arm as she passed she pulled him out of his frozen on looking. She mounted her bike, turning the key she revved the engine loudly, turning it back in the correct direction she blew past the group leaving even Daryl behind as she sped off.

XXX

Daryl shifted uncomfortably but could not help the smirk that kept playing with his lips. Beth was perched on the bar stool from the breakfast bar, her skin tight jeans soaked in blood, and smears of it streaked against the black leather of her top, taking a long pull from a half empty bottle of Jack Daniels as Bob looked over her arm. The medic reached up with gloved hands to pull the edges of the now clean wound together, trying to decided where to start his stitches.

"Son of a bitch" Beth sputtered her lips still pressed to the opening of the glass bottle.

The smirk won out when he heard Abraham's approving grunt. Everyone was gathered in the small living room listening to the story as Beth got patched up. Rick had watched everything from the tree line and Daryl was a little pissed that he had not stepped in to help, at least before that woman had kissed him. She was still out cold in one of the bed rooms, a big black bruise already spreading around her eye where Beth's hard punch had connected. Maggie was seething in the corner but everyone else resumed watching intently Rick's dramatic reenactment with Carl and Michonne playing the woman and Beth respectively. When they got to the part where she threw the punch he heard Tara begin to laugh.

"No way, that's who y'all drug in here? She knocked her out cold? Damn" she said.

"Shit, I didn't know there was a Mrs. bow-man" Abraham followed "never would have thought that little blonde thing was such a spit fire".

Everyone chuckled but Daryl felt all their eyes fall on the back of his head. He knew this moment was coming, where they would want questions answered about their relationship, he thought they would answer them together but judging by the last bit of whiskey now lingering on Beth's lips he was going to have to push ahead alone. Bob was finishing up dressing the wound, satisfied with the work he turned to face the group.

Rick spoke first "So married, when did this happen" he asked with a teasing tone in his otherwise gruff voice.

He drug his hand across the back of his neck and shifted from one foot to another before his answered "Last night" keeping it short.

"Did y'all run across a priest or something" Sasha asked.

"No just decided we wanted to be, let the man up stairs know, then carved our names in a wall" he answered a blush of embarrassment and discomfort flaring on his face. Beth would have been so much better at this.

Everyone was quiet and he could see the wheels turning. "Well good a ceremony as any this day in age" Michonne chimed in.

Nods of agreement came from everyone before Carl spoke "Congratulations" and as if his little sentiment was a reminder they all called theirs out in turn.

Daryl managed a small thank you before telling them all to get off his case. He turned to scoop his now plastered wife off the high stool before she fell and head toward the master bedroom. Rick rushed passed him and pushed the door open, he had not even realized the man was behind them. Once they were inside he settled her on the bed, propping her head on the fluffy pillows before tucking one under her injured arm. He turned around shaking his head as her soft snores already began to fill the room.

Rick clapped him on the shoulder and pulled him in for a quick hug. "Congratulations, brother" he whispered.

"Thanks" he returned pulling away to stand next to him.

"I knew something was up before we left a couple of weeks ago. When did y'all get together, that first night here? I saw y'all come in the back door together" he said.

Daryl laughed at the memory, it seemed so long ago now. "Nah" he answered "Nothing happened until the fort".

Rick smiled at him "She's a good one. You're a lucky man".

"I know" he sighed a small tinge of sadness hanging in the silence that followed. Her sister did not approve and even though he did not want it too, it hurt.

"Don't worry Maggie will come around, good money says she's more upset that she did not know you two were a thing before she found out y'all were married" he said as if reading his mind.

"Hope so" Daryl responded.

"You'll see. Now go get some sleep I wont let anyone bother y'all. Will talk about the fort in the morning. I sure hope its viable, the rest of us didn't find a thing" Rick finished as his hand gripped the door knob.

"Its great" he answered the unasked question.

"Thank God" Rick said as he flipped the lock on the door and slipped out pulling it shut behind him.


	11. Chapter 11

**I apologize for how long this update took, this chapter was a struggle. I still feel like it is off but Im not sure why. :( Anyway I hope you still enjoy it, let me know in the reviews. I love hearing from you guys.**

**As always thank you to everyone who reads, favorites, follows and reviews. Y'all are the best!  
**

Her head was pounding and she could hear the blood rushing through her ears, she licked her dry lips but her mouth felt too much like cotton for it to make a difference. Slowly she cracked open her eyes, feeling the headache just a bit stronger at the sight of sun streaming in the window, she regretted the whiskey from last night. As if the thought was a cue the sharp pain from her wound shot back up her neck to her jaw reminding her why she had picked up the half full bottle of Jack in the first place. She groaned and shifted to sit up, she could hear commotion from the living room and Daryl had long since left the spot beside her in bed. Her stomach lurched as she stood wobbling uneasy on her feet, the room spun but only for a minute before she stabilized herself and pushed forward.

Through force of will she drug herself down the hallway toward the noise ever-increasing in volume, her face pulled in a tight grimace as she rounded the corner. Everyone was spread out in the living room and kitchen, talking and eating, just enjoying being together again. Beth scanned the adjoined rooms, noting Maggie's surliness when her eyes fell on her, she sighed. The last thing she wanted now was to go at it with her big sister again, the few words spat in anger the night before were still eating at her and putting a hangover on top of it was not putting her in a chatty mood. So she kept looking, searching out Daryl or Rick, even Michonne would make better company than most this morning. She found them all three standing huddled over the kitchen counter by the out of use refrigerator and walked over.

"Well, good morning" Rick said as she ducked under Daryl's outstretched arm.

She just glared in return, she knew it was late probably closer to afternoon now than morning. Michonne let out a low chuckle then placed a quick squeeze on her good shoulder.

"How are you feelin'" Daryl grumbled lowly as he placed a quick kiss on the top of her head and pulled her tighter into his side.

"Honestly" her voice came out more like a dry cracked cough so she cleared her throat and continued "like shit".

Rick barked out a laugh as Michonne's face turned surprised and proud all at once. Bob came over then, and he handed her a bottle of ibuprofen and some water.

"Sorry aint got nothing stronger at the moment, take four every four to six hours" he said.

She nodded and moved to sit in the chair he waved towards so he could change out her bandages. Bob got to work quickly after she forced down the pills with some water, she sat silently internalizing the pain as he cleaned the stitches and wrapped everything back up. Daryl brought her a can of ravioli when everything was finished and she was working hard to chew and swallow as many as she could before the nausea was too much. Having food in her stomach was going to make her feel better but putting it there was a challenge in and of itself.

Maggie's eyes were boring holes in the side of her head as she ate, Daryl sat next to her his big hand wrapped nearly around her upper thigh, and she could feel them digging in deeper and deeper. It was fanning the embers of her anger into a full on fire. By the last bite the flames were blazing inside her, stronger even than the pain and nausea she felt, nearly blocking them out completely. She placed the empty can on the floor, then reached over and gave her husband's hand a squeeze while pecking him on the cheek. Taking a deep breath she stood up, reaching to her hip she checked that her knife was in place, then she walked to the back door.

"Maggie" she said forcefully "Can I talk to you for a minute".

She pulled open the back door and strolled into the yard scanning for walkers as she went. Maggie would follow her but it would probably take a minute, her older sister was stubborn, a trait that clearly ran in the family, and she would wrestle with herself before finally giving in to Beth's bossy request.

"You wanted to talk to me" she heard Maggie's voice sound cooly behind her after about five minutes.

Beth turned to face her "Yeah I did".

"About you and your 'Husband' " Maggie put air quotes around the last word and Beth almost pulled a muscle trying to keep from swinging on her.

"Yes, about my HUSBAND" she said through gritted teeth "I don't understand why you are being so awful about this. Why am I not allowed to be happy".

Maggie blinked, seemingly caught off guard by her question so Beth plowed forward "I mean, Jesus Maggie, you have Glenn but I don't get to fall in Love, have a husband, maybe even a family one day"?

"That's not what this is about" she responded her face back to an angry mask "this is about the fact that you're running around playing house with Daryl Dixon"!

Beth took two quick steps back as if her sisters words kicked her in the gut, honestly it felt like they had. She was not a child, is this what Maggie really thought of her, that she was that silly and naive that she could not even know real Love. Her sister had always been over protective but this felt different, this did not feel like she was railing against the outside forces influencing her baby sister, this felt like she did not even consider Beth valid enough to make decisions.

"Let me tell you something right now Maggie" she yelled. She could hear shuffling inside the house at the sound but she kept on "Momma is gone. Daddy is gone. I am damn near twenty years old, I've fought for my life more times than I can keep count, and I've killed people. So trust this" she took a deep breath and closed the gap between them. Getting right in her face she looked her in the eye and dropped her voice in to a low venomous whisper "I am not 'playing' anything".

Pulling back with a steely gaze she turned on her heel and walked back to the door. Her hand was on the knob when she stopped to look back over her shoulder.

"I Love You Maggie but don't make me chose, you wont like the result" she said infusing her voice with the last bit of anger she had flowing in her veins.

Then she opened the door and stepped inside leaving the last of her blood family to decide whether or not she wanted to be a part of her life.

XXX

Daryl could hear the whole conversation from where he was standing next to the big window in the kitchen, he did not know what Beth had whispered when she had been in Maggie's face but judging by the cold look on her face the words had been strong. He walked toward the door when she turned to come inside and stopped just in time to hear her finish her last sentence before the door pushed open.

Her face drooped and her brows were knit together like she was in pain, he thought it was from all the emotions until she looked toward her injured arm. Fresh blood had soaked through the new bandages, and he suspected the confrontation had made the wound seep around the stitches. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back toward the bedrooms. Everyone was staring at them, having heard Beth's yelling outside, he scanned across all the faces as they walked. Most everyone wearing apologetic smiles, Glenn's being the most sincere and he suspected that meant he did not exactly agree with his wife's sentiments. They passed Bob and he turned Beth long enough to point out the soiled dressing.

"Could you grab some stuff and come take care of this" he asked quickly.

Bob nodded so he kept moving. When they got to the bedroom he walked over to the oversize light green arm-chair in the corner, he sat down then pulled Beth in his lap with her injury facing out.

"M'sorry" he said as he nuzzled her neck.

"For what" she sighed.

"Making you 'an your sister fight. Shouldn't come between y'all" he said lifting his eyes to hers.

She shook her head and huffed, he could feel her playing with his too long hair where it fell in to his collar. "She's coming between us, not you. My life is mine to live, if she does not like what I choose to do with it I can't change her mind, but that doesn't mean I have to change mine because of it neither".

He gave her a weak smile as Bob came in the room. What she was saying was true. It was something he had not learned until he had gone back with Merle after he showed up at the prison. He was almost ashamed at how long it took him to finally realize that who he was and the life he led was not Merle's choice to make, he was proud that Beth knew it without all the mistakes it had taken him to learn the lesson. It was awful to know that in some part he was involved in the sisters being at odds with each other, he knew how much Beth loved Maggie and how close their relationship had always been. But he trusted her, she was more than capable of making the right decisions for herself and he would be behind them no matter what they were.

Rick came in after Bob left and pulled out the ottoman from the chair and set down in front of them. Daryl shifted a now sleepy Beth so she could lay her head against his shoulder and neck while he talked.

"So the fort" Rick asked.

"Its good. Solid, surrounded by motes with a river at the back, a big field inside in the middle, lots of rooms, a draw bridge, and cannons. I think it could be a real home, helluva lot easier to defend than the prison ever was" he responded.

Rick raised an eyebrow at the end "Did y'all run across people? You think there will be a need to defend it"?

Daryl thought for a minute before he nodded and answered "No, just don't trust anything after what happened, never know when it could happen again. One of the main reasons I like the place is because it will hold up, It could still be overtaken but if we get organized damn near everyone on the outside would die tryin".

"How long before she can ride again" Rick asked pointing to the clean white bandage around Beth's arm.

He grunted and smirked "Knowin' her probably only a day before she'll just grit her teeth and bear it".

Rick chuckled "Good, I'll go round everyone up, go on a supply run. Get some gas, maybe food, and we can leave morning after next".

He nodded the affirmative as Rick got up to leave, he was almost out the door when Daryl called him back "Hey Rick, when you're out check a huntin' store for a compound bow, seventy pound draw weight".

He smirked "Okay" he said, shaking his head as he left.

XXX

Beth emptied the rest of the gas in the little can from the back of her bike into the tank. Her arm was still stinging but it had subsided to annoyance with the administration of the ibuprofen and her much-needed sleep. Daryl was fiddling with his bike across from her, she gave him a smile when he caught her looking, and she strapped the empty tank to her back rest. She picked up her black riding jacket from the seat and slid it carefully over her hurt arm before she pulled it all the way on. She stuck her nose against the shoulder and inhaled the scent, There was something wonderful about the smell of leather and gasoline. She checked all her knives, making sure they were secure but accessible for the long ride. The bikes were going to lead the charge back to the fort, both out of necessity because they knew which way to go and so one or the other could pull ahead of the group from time to time and check that the road ahead was clear. If she came up on anything when she was alone she wanted to make quick work of the threat before her family caught up. She double checked the pistol in her saddle bag, counting the rounds and making sure the safety was on she tucked it back inside but left the straps on the outside un-snapped.

She had woken up early that morning, no longer able to keep still after sleeping so much of last forty eight hours. Wandering around the bedroom by the light of a little candle as Daryl's snoring filled the air she had rifled around in all the drawers and boxes. She had taken a few things, mostly stupid stuff she did not really need like makeup, but a pretty ring caught her eye inside the jewelry box when she lifted the lid. It was a white gold band with no stones and covered in beautiful scroll work, it looked old but she could not tell for sure. She plucked it out of the little slot it was settled in and turned it over in her hand a few times before she slid it on her left hand. The size was the same as hers, she twisted it around her finger a few times and smiled as she flattened her hand out and stretched out her arm for a better look. Daryl had cleared his throat then, she looked over flushed at having been caught, and saw him propped on his elbow smiling in her direction through the dim glow of the candle.

"You like it" he had asked.

"It's just" she said pulling her hand back towards her face "It's really pretty, is that silly" she asked.

"Should keep it then, not like I had time to get ya a ring" he responded.

She thought for a minute before she answered. "Okay then, I will" she smiled.

"Got something else I want to give you" he said as he climbed out from under the sheet.

Barefoot he padded over to a heavy black plastic case sitting by his bag and cross-bow. She walked over and knelt beside him as he began to undo the snaps, he lifted the lid and nestled inside the gray eggcrate on the inside was a light pink compound bow and a quiver of arrows. Leaning forward she brushed her fingers across the metal and strings, then she plucked one of the arrows out and rolled it between her thumb and forefinger.

"I don't know how to shoot it" she said softly as she turned to look at him.

"Gonna show ya" he said "You wanna learn how to track and hunt don't ya".

She nodded. "Then ya gotta have somethin' ta hunt with, and ya can't reload the cross-bow. So.." he said as he waved his hand through the air across the box.

They had spent the rest of the early morning setting the weapon up by the light of the candle in the little room. When actual sunlight broke through the window they headed outside and after a short lesson he helped her secure it to her bike before everyone got up. Now she fingered the string her new ring glinting in the sun as she waited on everyone to load into the cars, it was taking a long time to get everyone, their belongings, and the supplies loaded. She was thankful for her idea to ditch the car back at the fort, it had taken them all of fifteen minutes to load their gear and supplies.

She spotted the girl she had knocked out climbing in the van Rick was going to drive. When she had come to the group had talked to her about what she wanted to do, turned out the older man she was with had been her father, he had been bitten by one of the walkers in the small herd that her and Daryl had taken out. She felt bad for Jennifer after that, she knew how awful it felt to watch your family die. Staring down at the floor she kicked a little rock between her feet at the thought while her eyes watered up, she took a deep breath and looked back up. There was no time to be sad, everyone had lost someone and they just had to keep going, pressing forward and living.

Rick nodded as he got in behind the wheel, she turned around rolling her shoulders to push away her thoughts and mounted her bike. She fired it up, turning the throttle in her hand and listening to the pipes growl loudly. The sound of Daryl's joined hers and she looked over and gave him a wicked smile, he mouthed 'behave' just before she tore out of the driveway. She slowed down when she reached the stop sign at the end of the road and waited for everyone to join her. He gilded to a stop next to her with an incredulous look on his face and shook his head before turning to watch over his shoulder for the cars. She let him take point from there following just behind him, her front tire keeping pace with his back one as they made their way down the black top.

It had been an hour or two she guessed before she decided to pull ahead and scope out the area about a mile or two ahead, she remembered this stretch of road and it had a few walkers ambling around last time. She eased up next to Daryl and signaled she was going to go, he shook his head 'no' but she ignored him, she blew a kiss followed by a smile before she roared away.

She went through a few bends, checking her mirrors until she could no longer see the convoy, then she slowed down to scan the area. Coming to a stop she killed the engine, kicking out her stand she let the bike rest against it as she listened. In the distance she could hear the faint rumble of the other bike and cars but they were still a few minutes out, she did not hear any moans or shuffling and she figured there were no significant amount of walkers lurking. So she swung her leg over the tank and walked around to get a water bottle from her saddle bag. Crouching down she pulled the beat up dirty plastic to her lips, taking a long pull when she heard the crunch of leaves behind her, then the sound of a heavy boot fall on the pavement. Quietly she replaced the water bottle, then gripped the pistol and slid the safety off. In one swift movement she pulled the gun out, turning around as she stood she brought it up in front of her, finger on the trigger. It took a second for her brain to catch up to what her eyes were seeing, she blinked a few times just to be sure and then the shock spoke for her.

"Tyreese" She asked as her jaw fell open.


	12. Chapter 12

**I want to apologize for the long wait. I have been really busy, I took a trip home to Georgia for 10days, then came back to Texas and had to catch up on chores, then a doctors appointment, after which the Hubby and I decided to start trying for a baby! Yay! But that meant lots of reading and research on my part because I like to be informed(over informed if you ask my husband). So I finally finished two books and made time to sit down and write for you guys. This chapter is not really long, but I feel like it covers what it needs to cover. The next update will be longer and they will be back at the fort, which means Bethyl alone time! :) Thank you to all those who follow, like, and review! Keep it up! **

Beth didn't drop her gun and neither did Tyreese, they both just stared at each other in disbelief. Her mind was reeling, she barely registered the sound of another person approaching, but she swiftly pointed her gun over Tyreese's shoulder in the direction of the new sound. It was a short woman with a voluptuous figure and chestnut-brown hair pulled into a high bun on top of her head. She had her gun trained on Beth and a stern expression on her full face.

"Woah, woah" Tyreese said as he lowered his gun and angled himself to guide the person coming up behind him toward their conversation.

"You know her" the woman asked as she came to a stop next to him. He nodded. "Well in that case, Hi. I'm Hope, Hope Callaway".

Beth shook her head and lowered her gun, returning the safety she slipped it into the waistband at her back. She extended her hand to the new woman "I'm Beth, Beth Gr…uh…Dixon".

The sounds of the convoy filled the air as it came around the last bend before where they stood in the street as the woman let go of Beth's hand. She was right in the middle of her response when Beth heard a familiar voice from the tree line. When she looked up she began to scan for the owner of the voice and she saw her just as she cleared the brush. Her short gray hair a dead giveaway as it glistened in the sun. Then she noticed what, or rather who, was strapped to her chest. Judith! She did not have time to rejoice as she processed the words Carol spoke.

"That's not funny Beth" Carol said with a furrow on her brow.

Beth blinked in confusion, had she said something that could be taken as a joke, she did not think she had. Before she had a chance to respond Daryl pulled up next to her bike, followed closely by the rest of the cars.

A silence fell over them as everyone piled out of the vehicles to fill in the small section of street. Beth felt the palm of Daryl's large hand spread out across her lower back as he came up to stand beside her. She looked up into his face and watched as his eyes flickered back and forth between Tyreese, Carol, and Judith. He was smiling except when his eyes landed on Carol, and then a small shift appeared; only she would notice probably, but it was there. Out of the corner of her eye she caught movement and she turned her head just in time to watch Rick take off into a sprint toward Judith. When he reached her Carol was just finishing pulling her little body free of the carrier and she handed her to him. He fell to his knees as he crushed her to his chest, alternating between sobbing and planting kisses all over her head. Everyone else was frozen, rooted in place as they watched the emotional scene unfold. Beth felt hot tears begin to leak down her face and she sniffled. Carl began to inch forward, slowly as if his feet were stuck in deep Georgia mud. When he finally reached his father and sister he sank down next to them and wrapped them in his arms. They hugged, cried, and exchanged 'I Love Yous' for what seemed like hours. When they finally rose, Rick shook Carols hand soundly and thanked her for keeping Judith safe.

That seemed to be the queue for everyone else and suddenly the silence was gone. She had not even noticed the emotional reunion between Tyreese and Sasha but based on the way he now had her tucked tightly under his arm as they talked to Bob, she assumed it had went on during the same time as the Grimes'. Beth moved forward as Daryl guided her, her mind solely focused on the infant. If anyone else deserved to hold her, she was the one. Rick did not hesitate when he saw them approaching and before she could even speak he thrust Judith into her arms and wrapped her and the child in a bear hug.

Beth smiled down at Judith's bright face, she was smiling back and Beth could see a tooth breaking through one her bottom gums. The tears poured freely down her face now, she wiped them away but one still landed on Judith's round cheek. She let out a breathy emotion laden laugh as she brushed it off.

"I missed you, Judy" she said.

Judith reached up and placed her tiny hand against Beth's face, as if to say 'me too'.

She spent a few more moments staring into her big brown eyes before she decided maybe it was time to acknowledge the outside world again.

"She's gotten so big" Beth said as she handed Judith back to Rick.

He just nodded, still enamored with the presence of his child.

Beth turned then to see Daryl talking to Carol a few feet away. She went over, sliding in behind him and wrapping her arm around his back. He tucked her in under his arm and she laid her head against his shoulder as she joined the conversation. Daryl finished his sentence but it was met with silence, as Carol stared open-mouthed at what had just happened.

"What is this" Carol demanded, a harsh anger to her tone.

"Sorry, forgot ya didn't know" Daryl scratched his chin with his free hand as he spoke "we, uh, got hitched".

Carol blinked a few times and then screeched "Are you serious"?

XXX

Daryl took a deep breath and blinked back the prickling feeling behind his eyes. It's not that he had never cried it was just that he had never cried over anything but anger and grief, crying from happiness seemed like a woman's thing. He looked over at Beth; tears were running like rivers down her face as she watched Rick, Carl, and Judith. He pulled her closer to his side with a smile, he would just let her do all the crying from now on, that seemed like the best thing to do and just one more benefit of being married he guessed.

When the silence finally broke he watched as Beth made a beeline for Judith, he did not blame her, hell she had been the kid's mother basically. She deserved to have a reunion almost as much a Rick. Daryl scanned the faces in the small crowd, noticing how the two new women drifted slowly toward one another on the outskirts of the jumbled mess of hugging people who were strangers to them. His eyes fell on Carol and he hesitated before taking a step toward her, he was relieved to see her alive but he was also boiling with anger at what she had done to Karen and David.

When he finally reached her she smiled at him and he unintentionally took a step back. She was still Carol but it did not feel the same with her now, his body was reacting out of instinct and distrust.

"M'glad you're alright" he said.

"Good to see you too" she responded softly.

"Rick told me, didn't figure we'd ever see you again. Specially after the prison fell" he shifted from one foot onto the other and looked in her eyes. He could see a haunting in them, but not guilt.

"I was coming back for Liz…I was coming back when I saw it happen. I watched Tyreese escape with Judith, so I went after them, caught up about a day later" She responded softly.

His brow furrowed when she did not finish her original thought, she was hiding something, something he probably did not want to know, but something he should probably find out. He was about to question her when he caught Beth moving toward them in the corner of his vision, when she got close he pulled her into his side her blonde head landing on his shoulder as she sniffled and wiped away her last stray tears.

He turned his attention back toward Carol, "You said you were coming back for something, what was it" he asked.

His question met with silence as she started back at them with an open-mouthed shock on her face.

"What is this" Carol demanded, a harsh anger to her tone.

"Sorry, forgot ya didn't know" he said, choking down that familiar defensive anger rising inside him "we, uh, got hitched".

Carol blinked a few times and then screeched "Are you serious"?

There was a short pause before she finished "I thought…..She's a child".

Daryl's face pulled tight with rage, Beth was far from a child and to say she was insinuated things about him that were far from pleasant. His hands balled into fists as he searched for something to say, fighting with words was not his thing. If she was a man he would have punched her square in the jaw by now, she would be out cold, like the new girl from the night before. Just then he felt Beth straiten at his side, her free hand landed on her hip, and her jaw was clenched; this probably was not going to end well.

"Excuse me" Beth demanded, stern and confident.

Carol blinked, looking away from him and toward Beth.

"What did you just say about me" She continued "because I know you did not call me a child, I don't think you are that ignorant".

Carol balked as Beth bit out the last word "You're what eighteen" she hissed back "that's a child".

Beth took a step forward out of his grasp, "First of all how old I am is absolutely NONE of your damn business, Second how dare you insinuate something like that about Daryl, and Third the next time you say anything about me or my relationship my response will not come in the form of words. Do you understand me"?

Carol took a defensive step forward, closing the small gap between her and Beth. Daryl noticed something new dancing behind her eyes, it looked savage, feral almost. A sickly sweet smile began to pull across her lips, and he reached forward and clamped down on Beth's shoulders pulling her back to him, then by his side. He stepped forward now, careful not to tower over Carol, he was not Ed.

"Carol, look m'glad you're alright. I'm happy you took care of Judith while we've all been apart. But Beth's right, our relationship aint none of your concern, She aint a child wouldn't be with her if she was, now stop your nonsense and go on. Don't bring this up to me or her again" he said calmly, trying his damnedest to defuse the tension.

She took a few steps back, the smile still plastered to her face "fine" she responded throwing her hands into the air. Then she turned and sank into the crowd still milling around them in the background.

Daryl turned around to Beth, smoke was still pouring out of her ears, and she was furiously shrugging out of her leather jacket. He helped her pull it free of her arms laughing as she immediately began to fan her flushed face.

"Can you believe her; I mean really" she huffed "Ohhh that just makes me so mad".

"Y'spoke yer peace" he said as an uncontrollable smirk crossed his face.

He was plenty mad too, offended to be sure, but something about the hot little blonde mess pacing back and forth with fury in front of him was adorable. Arms flailing in the air, full of animation as she ranted. She was talking at him but he was not listening; he could not stop staring at her. She was beautiful; her blonde ponytail was picking up rays from the sun, shining in different directions every time she moved. The red flush in her cheeks had spilled down her neck and across her collar bones; it conjured images of that flush covering her whole body but for entirely different reasons. How anyone could not see that she is a woman was beyond his realm of comprehension.

"You even listening to me" her words broke through his daze. She had stopped close in front of him with her hands on her hips and she was looking up into his face.

"Nope" he laughed out "to busy watching you".

Her eyebrow quirked up in confusion for a brief moment before her face softened in recognition, then her smile matched his.

"Behave yourself, Mr. Dixon" she whispered with false seriousness, as she gently pushed against his chest with her hand.

"No promises" he said as she turned to walk back to her bike.


End file.
